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Universal Service for High Cost Areas - Connect America Fund

Universal Service Program for High-Cost Areas

The federal universal service high-cost program (also known as the Connect America Fund) is designed to ensure that consumers in rural, insular, and high-cost areas have access to modern communications networks capable of providing voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, at rates that are reasonably comparable to those in urban areas. The program fulfills this universal service goal by allowing eligible carriers who serve these areas to recover some of their costs from the federal Universal Service Fund.

Daily Releases

2018

5/18/2018CAF New York Long Form Public Notice: WCB announces deadline for filing long-form application following the New York State announcement of New NY Broadband Phase 3 auction winning bidders.Word PDF

4/19/2018FairPoint Order and Declaratory Ruling: FCC decides legacy support issue arising from the ongoing reform and modernization of the universal service fund and intercarrier compensation systems.Word PDF

3/13/2018Puerto Rico Telephone Company, Inc. Declaratory Ruling Order: WCB denies PRTC’s request for declaratory ruling, but grants a limited waiver such that no support will be recovered from PRTC for locations it served within a year of its Phase I incremental support deadlines.Word PDF

2/28/2018Alaska Plan Maps Reconsideration Order: Grants in part and denies in part a petition for reconsideration of the Alaska Plan Maps Public Notice.Word PDF

2017

12/28/2017Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. Petition for Waiver, et al. Memorandum Opinion and Order and Erratum: WCB responds to the Motion to Revise the Protective Order and to the Objection to Disclosure of Information Pending Resolution of its Motion to Revise Protective Order filed by Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc.Word PDF

11/6/2017Comment Sought on Performance Measures for Connect America High-Cost Universal Service Support Recipients Public Notice: WCB, WTB, and OET seek to update the record regarding performance measures for certain Connect America high-cost universal service support recipients.Word PDF

11/1/2017High Cost Budget Mechanism Public Notice: WCB directs USAC to retain any excess cash in the high-cost account at the end of 2017, pending further Commission action, and not to take that amount into consideration when determining the contribution factor for the first quarter of 2018.Word PDF

10/4/2017FCC Approves Advance of $77M to Restore Connectivity in PR and USVI Order: Approves an advance of $77M of Universal Service support to carriers in PR and USVI to restore telecommunications services.Word PDF

9/29/2017September USF Appeals Disposition Public Notice: Consistent with precedent, WCB grants, dismisses, or denies a number of requests for review, requests for waiver, and petitions for reconsideration of decisions related to actions taken by the Universal Service Administrative Company.Word PDF

9/7/2017Gila River Petition for Waiver Public Notice: Establishes a comment period for the Gila River Petition for Waiver of the HCLA national average cost per loop.Word PDF

9/6/2017Extends Deadline for States' Annual CAF Use Certification Order: Grants a limited waiver of the deadline until November 17th for states to certify CAF support was used for intended purpose.Word PDF

9/5/2017NECA's 2018 Modification of the Average Schedule Company Universal Service High Cost Loop Support Formula Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on NECA's 2018 Modification of the Average Schedule Company Universal Service High Cost Loop Support Formula.Word PDF

8/11/2017100 Percent Overlap Public Notice: WCB publishes a list of study areas potentially subject to the 100% overlap rule and seeks comment on whether competitors in the listed areas are offering voice/broadband to 100% of locations in census blocks meeting the requirements in 47 CFR § 54.319(a).Word PDF

8/4/2017Pre-Auction Process for the Connect America Fund Phase II Auction Public Notice: This Public Notice initiates the pre-auction process for the Connect America Fund Phase II auction to award up to $1.98 billion over 10 years to providers committing to offer fixed voice and broadband services in unserved high-cost areas.Word PDF

7/20/2017CAF Phase II Deadline Reminder Public Notice: WCB reminds those price cap carriers that accepted Connect America Phase II model-based support (CAF Phase II funding) of their upcoming deployment and reporting obligations and of the consequences for failing to meet those deadlines.Word PDF

7/10/2017CAF BLS and Alaska Plan Competitive Overlap Challenge Processes Public Notice: WCB announces that the updated June 30, 2016 Form 477 data, released June 6, 2017, will be used for the competitive overlap challenge processes for Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS) and the Alaska Plan.Word PDF

7/7/2017ETC Annual Reporting Reform Report and Order: The Commission eliminates several annual ETC reporting requirements that are either duplicative of other reporting requirements or are no longer necessary.Word PDF

5/18/2017Voice Rate Floor NPRM and Order: The Commission seeks comment on whether to modify the methodology of or eliminate the rate floor and related obligations. The Order freezes the rate floor at $18 for two years or until further Commission action is taken.WordPDFChairman PaiCommissioner ClyburnCommissioner O'Rielly

5/3/2017New NY Broadband Program FAQs Public Notice: WCB announces that it has posted answers to Frequently Asked Questions regarding the allocation of Connect America Phase II support in partnership with New York State's New NY Broadband program.Word PDF

4/21/2017Capital Investment Allowance Construction Limit Order on Recon: The Commission grants a Petition for Reconsideration filed by NTCA,The Rural Broadband Association of the Commission's average per-location, per-project construction limitation on universal service support provided for in the Rate of Return Reform Order.WordPDFChairman PaiCommissioner ClyburnCommissioner O'Rielly

3/2/2017Connect America Phase II Auction Order: The Commission takes another step towards implementing the Connect America Phase II auction in which service providers will compete to receive support of up to $1.98 billion to offer voice and broadband service in unserved high-cost areas.WordPDFChairman PaiCommissioner ClyburnCommissioner O'Rielly

2/24/2017NTCA and WTA Waiver of CAF Reporting Deadline Order: WCB conditionally grants NTCA and WTA a short-term waiver of the March 1, 2017 deadline for certain CAF recipients to report geo-located broadband information and certifications through the High Cost Universal Service Broadband Portal.Word PDF

2/17/2017New York Census Block List Public Notice: WCB releases the list of census blocks that have been deemed initially eligible for Connect America Phase II support to be allocated in partnership with New York State's New NY Broadband program.Word PDF

2/6/2017Sandwich Isles Exclusive License on HI Home Lands Public Notice: WCB seeks comment on the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands' request for guidance regarding Sandwich Isle's execlusive license and whether it conflicts with Section 253(a) of the Communications Act.Word PDF

2016

12/21/2016Alaska Plan RoR Authorization Support Public Notice: In accordance with the Alaska Plan Order, WCB approves the individualized performance obligations and authorizes support amounts for 13 Alaskan rate-of-return carriers.Word PDF

12/20/2016A-CAM Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: The Commission adopts measures to address the significant demand for Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) support.Word PDF

12/20/2016A-CAM Authorization Public Notice: Consistent with the A-CAM Revised Offer Order, WCB authorizes 35 companies that elected 45 offers of A-CAM support to receive support pursuant to existing elections and announces 228 revised offers of A-CAM support for remaining companies.Word PDF

12/20/2016Sandwich Isles Public Notice: Pursuant to the Sandwich Isles Improper Payments Order, WCB seeks comment on the continued applicability of the 2005 study area boundary waiver granted to Sandwich Isles, Inc.Word PDF

12/19/2016Connect America Phase I Round 2 Public Notice: Reminds recipients of such support that they must complete deployment of broadband-capable infrastructure to all required locations and be offering service meeting the Commission's requirements for Phase I within three years.Word PDF

12/12/2016RBE Authorization Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau authorizes rural broadband experiment support for Lake County, Minnesota d/b/a Lake Connections, for the relevant winning bid, which is estimated to bring new broadband service to 845 census blocks.Word PDF

12/8/2016High-Cost Broadband Portal Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides guidance to Connect America Fund recipients regarding their obligation to report geo-located broadband information and make service milestone certifications to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).Word PDF

12/6/2016High-Cost Broadband Portal Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides guidance to Connect America Fund recipients regarding their obligation to report geo-located broadband information and make service milestone certifications to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC).Word PDF

11/15/2016Rate-of-Return Corrections Public Notice: WCB announces the posting of revised information on study area density, operating expense limitations, and deployment percentages and obligations for certain incumbent Rate-of-Return carriers under the high-cost Universal Service legacy funding mechanisms.WordPDF

10/31/2016A-CAM Corrected Offer Public Notice: WCB announces corrected offers of Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) support, listed in the attachment, to the companies affected by the Bureau's technical correction to A-CAM announced in a Public Notice on Oct. 28, 2016.WordPDF

10/31/2016A-CAM Order on Reconsideration and Memorandum & Opinion Order: The Commission resolves two pending matters regarding data utilized in the final version of the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) for purposes of calculating the offers of model-based support to rate-of-return carriers.WordPDF

10/31/2016ACS Phase II Service Obligations Order: Adopts tailored service obligations for Alaska Communications Systems, a carrier serving a non-contiguous area that elected to receive nearly $20 million annually in Connect America Phase II frozen support amounts in lieu of model-based support.WordPDF

10/28/2016Technical Correction To Alternative Connect America Cost Model Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces it has made a technical correction to the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) that affects only the 32 carriers listed in the attachment to the Public Notice.WordPDF

10/26/2016SureWest Memorandum Opinion and Order: Denies an application for review filed by SureWest Telephone of a decision by the Wireline Competition Bureau denying SureWest's request for waiver of the state certification deadline required by section 54.314(d) of the Commission's rulesWordPDF

10/25/2016Rate of Return Budget Control Mechanism Public Notice: : The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the posting of the budget control mechanism calculations for rate-of-return carriers for the period from January 1, 2017 through June 30, 2017.WordPDF

10/20/2016Steelville and Grand River Waiver Order: : WCB denies two requests for waiver of deadlines that the Commission adopted in the Rate-of-Return Reform Order for filing FCC Form 477 data used in the final version of A-CAM.WordPDF

10/6/2016RoR Deployment Obligations Public Notice: Announces the posting of information regarding the mandatory deployment obligations that will apply to rate-of-return carriers who remain on legacy universal service support mechanisms.WordPDF

9/30/2016Competitive Overlap Public Notice: Announces the release of a tool to assist carriers in deciding whether to elect the voluntary path to model-based support and an updated version of the study area deployment figure for each individual rate-of-return carrier.WordPDF

9/30/2016Capital Investment Allowance Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces that the Universal Service Administrative Company has published two resources to aid rate-of-return carriers in determining their Capital Investment Allowance (CIA), which sets a maximum for capital investment expenses that a rate-of-return carrier may include for purposes of calculating High-Cost Loop Support (HCLS) and Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support (CAF BLS). The CIA will first apply to investment made in 2017.WordPDF

9/26/2016CAF Broadband Loop Support Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces that the Office of Management and Budget has approved, pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act, revisions to FCC Forms 507, 508, and 509 to implement Connect America Fund Broadband Loop Support.WordPDF

9/23/2016CenturyLink Phase I Notification Process Public Notice: Announces deadline for existing providers to notify CenturyLink that they serve census blocks that CenturyLink proposes to serve with Connect America Phase I Incremental Support.WordPDF

9/21/2016Mutual-Winnebago Study Area Waiver Order: Grants a joint petition from Mutual Telephone Company and Winnebago Cooperative Telecom for waiver of the Commission's study area boundary freeze.WordPDF

9/21/2016A-CAM Waiver Order: Denies a request for waiver of certain limitations regarding eligibility for A-CAM support, as well as two requests for waiver of the deadlines adopted by the Commission for filing FCC Form 477 data used in the final version of A-CAM.WordPDF

9/19/2016FCC Form 508 PRA Public Notice: Announces that all carriers will be required to file with USAC forecasted cost and revenue data for the first six months of 2017 on October 1, 2016.WordPDF

9/19/2016FCC Form 477 Deployment Percentage Public Notice: Announces the weighted average broadband deployment for all rate-of-return carriers and the relevant deployment figure for each individual carrier based on the December 2015 Form 477 data.WordPDF

9/12/2016RBE Big Bend-NRS Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes Big Bend Telecom and Northeast Rural Services to receive a total of $1,043,129.43 in rural broadband experiment support to bring new broadband service to 135 census blocks in Texas and Oklahoma.WordPDF

8/31/2016NECA's 2017 Modification of Avg Sch HCLS Formula Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comments on NECA's 2017 Modification of the Average Schedule Company Universal Service High Cost Loop Support Formula.WordPDF

8/15/2016A-CAM Correction Public Notice: Releases, with only minor technical corrections, the reports showing the model-based Connect America support amounts offered to rate-of-return carriers originally released on August 3, 2016.WordPDF

8/10/2016CAF Phase II Preliminary Eligible Census Blocks List Public Notice: Announces the release of a preliminary list and map of census blocks that have been deemed initially eligible for the Connect America Phase II auction.WordPDF

8/3/2016A-CAM Offer Public Notice: Announces the release of the final version of the Alternative Connect America Cost Model and the offers of model-based support to rate-of-return carriers to fund the deployment of voice and broadband-capable networks in their service territories.WordPDF

7/21/2016Big Bend RBE Ready to Authorize Public Notice: Announces that it the Bureau is ready to authorize rural broadband experiment support for Big Bend Telecom.WordPDF

7/20/2016Allband Order and Order on Review: Denies Allband's Further Waiver Request and requires that Allband revise its cost accounting practices to be consistent with Commission rules.WordPDF

6/29/2016Rate-of-Return Budget Mechanism Public Notice: Announces the date for implementation of the budget control mechanism for rate-of-return carriers for 2016.WordPDF

6/17/2016ACS Phase I Incremental Waiver Denial Order: Denies a petition filed by ACS for waiver of the requirement that a carrier accepting Connect America Phase I incremental support deploy 4 Mbps downstream/1 Mbps upstream service to one unserved location for every $775 in support accepted.WordPDF

6/17/20162016 NECA HCLS Further Modification Order: Approves modifications proposed by the National Exchange Carrier Association to the formula used to calculate universal service HCLS for 2016.WordPDF

5/23/2016Mutual Telco and Winnebago Coop Study Area Waiver Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the joint petition of Mutual Telephone Company of Sioux Center, Iowa d/b/a Premier Communications and Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association for waiver of the definition of "study area."WordPDF

5/19/2016NECA's 2016 Further Modification of Average Schedule HCLS Formula Public Notice: : Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comments on NECA's 2016 Further Modification of the Average Schedule Company Universal Service High Cost Loop Support Formula.WordPDF

5/4/2016RBE Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes New Lisbon Broadband and Communications to receive $ 37,695.60 in rural broadband experiment support to bring new broadband service to seven census blocks in Indiana.WordPDF

5/4/2016NCUC Redefinition Public Notice: Seeks comment on a petition by the North Carolina Utilities Commission seeking FCC agreement with redefinition of a rural telephone company's service area.WordPDF

5/2/2016BPS and AT&T Study Area Waiver Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the joint petition of BPS Telephone Company (BPS) and AT&T Services, Inc., on behalf of its affiliate Southwestern Bell Telephone Company d/b/a AT&T Missouri for waiver of the definition of "study area".WordPDF

4/20/2016MTAW Order on Reconsideration: Denies MTAW's petition for reconsideration, concluding that it failed to present any argument warranting reconsideration of the Bureau's decision to deny MTAW's petition for waiver of the relevant high-cost filing deadline.WordPDF

4/20/2016Mid-Tex Order on Reconsideration: Denies Mid-Tex's petition for reconsideration, concluding that it failed to present any argument warranting reconsideration of the Bureau's decision to deny Mid-Tex's petition for waiver of the relevant high-cost filing deadline.WordPDF

4/20/2016OTZ Telecom, ASTAC & Pine Cellular Waiver Order: Denies petitions for waiver of various high-cost universal service support filing deadlines, finding that all three carriers have failed to demonstrate good cause warranting grant of the requested waivers.WordPDF

4/20/2016Advantage Order on Reconsideration: Denies Advantage's petition for reconsideration, concluding it failed to present any argument warranting reconsideration of the Bureau's decision to deny Advantage's petition for waiver of the relevant high-cost line count filing deadlines.WordPDF

4/14/2016Form 477 RoR Carrier Study Areas Public Notice: Announces the release of a data set showing updates to the Form 477 filing made by non-incumbent providers between February 19 and March 30, 2016 for broadband deployment data as of June 2015.WordPDF

4/11/2016Frontier CA-TX Phase II Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes Frontier Communications Corporation to receive Connect America Phase II model-based support for the states of California and Texas in the areas served by former Verizon Communications Inc. subsidiaries.WordPDF

4/8/2016Osirus-Huron Mountain Dismissal Order: Dismisses as moot petitions filed by Osirus Communications and Huron Mountain Communications for waiver of the Commission's rules to participate in NECA pools and tariffs and to obtain accelerated USF support.WordPDF

4/7/2016ACAM v2.2 Release Public Notice: Announces the release of a new version of the Alternative Connect America Cost Model, v2.2, as well as illustrative results, and commences the challenge process for competitive coverage.WordPDF

3/31/2016Rate-of-Return Webinar Public Notice: Announces a webinar for Monday, April 4, 2016, to provide a summary of the recent reforms to the high-cost support mechanisms for rate-of-return carriers.WordPDF

3/30/2016Rate-of-Return Carriers Reform Order: Adopts significant reforms to place the universal service program on solid footing for the next decade to "preserve and advance" voice and broadband service in areas served by rate-of-return carriers.WordPDF

3/22/2016FCC Form 481 Protective Order: Revises the Protective Order governing the filing of and access to FCC Form 481 financial information filed by privately held rate-of-return carriers to streamline the procedures for submitting filings with the Commission and significantly reducing burden on filers.WordPDF

3/4/2016PRT Phase I Round 2 Modification Public Notice: Announces the deadline by which providers must notify PRT if they serve census blocks that PRT has proposed to serve with CAF Phase I Round 2 incremental support.WordPDF

2/29/2016ITC-Qwest Study Area Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the joint petition of Interstate Telecommunications Cooperative, Inc. (ITC) and Qwest Corporation d/b/a CenturyLink for waiver of the definition of "study area".WordPDF

2/24/2016RBE Ready to Authorize Public Notice: Announces that it the Bureau is ready to authorize rural broadband experiment support for New Lisbon Broadband and Communications, LLC.WordPDF

2/17/2016NEP Relinquishment Order: Approves a request filed by NEP Cellcorp, Inc. to relinquish its eligible telecommunications carrier designation in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.WordPDF

2/1/2016EBP Denial Order: Denies a petition filed by Electric Power Board of Chattanooga (EPB) for waiver and extension of the ETC designation deadline and removes EPB from further consideration for rural broadband experiments support.WordPDF

1/12/2016RBE Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes Skybeam, LLC, to receive over $500,000 in rural broadband experiment support to bring new broadband service to 265 census blocks in Iowa.WordPDF

2015

12/14/2015100 Percent Overlap Final Determination Order: Finds that one study area included in the preliminary determination, Pineville Telephone Company, is subject to a 100 percent overlap by an unsubsidized competitor.WordPDF

12/11/2015RBE Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes three entities to receive just over $5 million in rural broadband experiment support for four projects to provide service in three states.WordPDF

12/7/2015Allband Interim Waiver Extension Order: Extends a waiver previously granted to Allband Communications Cooperative for an additional six months until the earlier of either June 30, 2016 or the date on which further action is taken on the pending waiver request.WordPDF

11/12/2015RBE Authorizations Public Notice: Authorizes four entities to receive just over $16 million in rural broadband experiment support for nine projects to provide service in five states.WordPDF

11/4/2015Madison Telephone Application for Review Order: The Commission affirms the Wireline Competition Bureau's conclusion that Madison Telephone (Madison) did not demonstrate good cause for waiver and denies Madison's Application for Review.WordPDF

11/4/2015NDTC and Midstate Study Area Waiver Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on the joint petition of North Dakota Telephone Company (NDTC) and Midstate Communications, Inc. (Midstate) (together, Petitioners) for waiver of the definition of "study area."WordPDF

10/23/2015NECA Average Schedule Company HCLS Formula Order: Approved the National Exchange Carrier Association's proposed annual average schedule company high-cost loop support formula modifications for 2016.WordPDF

10/8/2015A-CAM Version 2.0 Public Notice: Announces the release of the Alternative Connect America Cost Model (A-CAM) v2.0 and results illustrating how different per-location funding caps used in calculating support impact the potential support calculated for a particular study area.WordPDF

9/28/2015NRS RBE Letter of Credit Waiver Order: Granted the request for an extension of time for Northeast Rural Services, Inc. (NRS) to obtain a commitment letter for a letter of credit (LOC), as required for the Connect America rural broadband experiments.WordPDF

9/15/2015RBE Ready to Authorize Public Notice: Announces that 13 provisionally selected bids in eight states are ready to be authorized to receive rural broadband experiments support.WordPDF

9/11/2015RBE First Step-NRS Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes two entities to receive just over $1 million in rural broadband experiment support for five projects to provide service in three states.WordPDF

8/31/2015Phase II Transitions Public Notice: Provides direction to USAC regarding the calculation of the transition payments to price cap carriers electing model-based support in states where that support is less than their Phase I frozen support.WordPDF

8/31/2015A-CAM v1.1 Public Notice: Announces the release of A-CAM v1.1 and illustrative results showing how different per-location funding caps used in calculating support impact the potential support calculated for a particular study area.WordPDF

8/28/2015Verizon Phase II Support Conditional Acceptance Public Notice: Announces that Verizon conditionally accepted over $48.5M in Phase II support in California and Texas and directs USAC to suspend payment of Verizon's Connect America support in these states for the month of August and thereafter until further notice.WordPDF

8/25/2015NECA's 2016 Proposed Average Schedule Company HCLS Formula Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the 2016 Modification of the Average Schedule Company HCLS Formula filed by NECA.WordPDF

8/7/2015RBE Authorizations Public Notice: Authorizes four entities to receive just over $11 million in rural broadband experiment support for ten projects to provide service in five states.WordPDF

8/5/2015Windstream CAF Phase II Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes Windstream Corporation to receive over $174 million in Connect America Phase II support to locations in 17 states.WordPDF

7/29/2015100 Percent Overlap Public Notice: Adopts the methodology used to determine rate-of-return carrier study areas subject to 100 percent overlap and publishes a preliminary list of such study areas using the adopted methodology.WordPDF

7/23/2015Forbearance Census Blocks Public Notice: Releases the list of census blocks where price cap carriers continue to have the ETC obligation to provide voice service and refreshes the record on pending issues related to ETC designations and obligations in areas served by price cap carriers.WordPDF

6/16/2015Frontier Model-Based Phase II Support Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes Frontier Communications Corporation to receive over $283 million in Connect America Phase II support to serve 1.3 million rural Americans in 28 states.WordPDF

6/15/2015Rural Broadband Experiments Denials Order: Denies a request for extension of time, dismisses as moot two petitions for waivers or extensions of deadlines, and affirmatively removes a provisionally selected bidder from further consideration for rural broadband experiments support.WordPDF

6/8/2015ACS Phase I Deployment Waiver Order: Grants a petition filed by ACS requesting a limited extension of its July 24, 2015 deadline to complete deployment of broadband services using Connect America Fund Phase I incremental support.WordPDF

5/27/2015RBE Ready to Authorize Public Notice: Announces that 15 provisionally selected rural broadband experiments bids are ready to be authorized to receive support.WordPDF

5/7/2015Adak Eagle Enterprises, LLC and Windy City Cellular, LLC Reconsideration Order: Denies Petition for Reconsideration and Application for Review of Adak Eagle Enterprises, LLC and Windy City Cellular, LLC of the Wireline Competition Bureau's and Wireless Telecommunications Bureau's denial of WCC's and AEE's requests that the Commission.WordPDFO'Rielly and Clyburn Joint Statement

5/5/2015A-CAM Study Area Boundary Map Revisions Public Notice: Announces the publishing of a revised A-CAM study area map.WordPDF

4/29/2015Model-Based Support Offers Public Notice: Announces the offers of model-based Phase II Connect America support to price cap carriers to fund the deployment of voice and broadband-capable networks in their service territories.WordPDF

4/28/2015BARConnects ETC Petition Public Notice: Seeks comment on a petition filed by BARConnects seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier for the rural broadband experiments.WordPDF

2/13/2015RBE Census Blocks and FAQs Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau releases the list of census blocks that will be removed from the offer of model-based support and updates the rural broadband experiments FAQs.WordPDFCensus Blocks

2014

12/22/2014CAM Version 4.2 Alternative Cost Model Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Availability of Version 4.2 of the Connect America Phase II Cost Model and the First Version of an Alternative Cost Model Being Developed for Potential Use In Rate-of-Return Areas.WordPDF

11/18/2014USTelecom URS Extension Order: Granting United States Telecom Association's request for extension of time of the due date of the Urban Rates Survey to December 17, 2014.WordPDF

11/10/2014Madison Telephone Company Order:Denied a petition filed by Madison Telephone Company for a waiver of the Commission's rules, which require an ETC that opts to establish a calendar quarter index year expense adjustment for Safety Valve Support to make filings on a quarterly basis.WordPDF

10/28/2014Broadband Comparability Order: Adopted a methodology that will be used annually to develop reasonable comparability benchmarks for fixed broadband services offered to residential and small business customers, using the data from the annual urban rate survey.WordPDF

10/3/2014Nemont USAC Audit Appeal Order: Denied a request filed by Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc. and its subsidiary Project Telephone Company seeking review of a decision of the Universal Service Administrative Company to recover federal universal service fund high-cost support.WordPDF

9/22/2014ETS Public Notice:Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by ETS Telephone Company, Inc. (ETS) for waiver of the definition of the study area boundary rules codified in part 36 of the Commission's rules.WordPDF

9/15/2014Universal Service Fund Appeals Disposition Public Notice: Streamlined Process for Resolving Requests for Review of Decisions by the Universal Service Administrative Company.WordPDF

9/3/2014Denial of Motion by Competitive Carriers Association Order: Denied a request for an extension of time to file reply comments in the Commission's universal service and intercarrier compensation rulemaking proceeding, filed by the Competitive Carriers Association.WordPDF

9/2/20142015 High-Cost Loop Formula Modification Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the 2015 Modification of the Average Schedule Company HCLS Formula filed by NECA.WordPDF

8/20/2014High-Cost Backlog Dismissal Order: Dismissed as moot numerous petitions where the issues raised therein were addressed in the USF/ICC Transformation Order and FNPRM, or the relief requested is no longer relevant in light of the regulatory changes included in that order.WordPDF

8/19/2014Rural Broadband Experiments Application Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau outlines the process that will be used to award up to $100 million in rural broadband experiment support to bring next-generation voice and broadband service to high-cost areas of the country.WordPDF

8/11/2014Aventure Order: Denied Aventure request for review because the free conference service carrier lines are not eligible for support under section 54.307.WordPDF

7/28/2014ETC Billing Address Order: Resolving appeals of eight petitioners related to the requirement that competitive eligible telecommunications carriers provide a customer billing address in order to receive support under section 54.307 of the Commission's rules.WordPDF

6/30/2014Challenge Process Commencement Public Notice:Begins the Connect America Phase II challenge process to determine what areas are served by an unsubsidized competitor, giving parties until August 14, 2014, to file challenges.WordPDF

4/25/2014Connect America Cost Model Results Public Notice: : Released results for the adopted Connect America Cost Model, as well as a list of census blocks that would be eligible for the offer of model-base support, subject to the outcome of the Phase II challenge process.WordPDF

3/21/2014Connect America Model v.4.1 Public Notice: : Announced availability of version 4.1 of the Connect America Cost Model.WordPDF

3/21/2014Connect America Phase I Round 2 Reconsideration Order: : Granted a petition for partial reconsideration filed by Farmers Telephone Company of a determination in the Connect America Phase I challenge process.WordPDF

3/20/2014Urban Rates Survey Public Notice: Announced the results of the urban rate survey for fixed voice services, and sought comment on a petition to extend the deadline for compliance with the 2014 rate floor.WordPDF

3/18/2014Rural Broadband Workshop Final Agenda Public Notice: Final agenda for March 19, 2014 Rural Broadband workshop at FCC Headquarters.WordPDF

3/14/2014AT&T/Windstream Phase I Modifications Authorization Public Notice: Authorizes over $16.7 million in additional Phase I second round incremental support in response to the modified elections of AT&T and Windstream.WordPDF

2/28/2014Adak Eagle Enterprises, LLC and Windy City Cellular, LLC Further Extension Order: The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau and the Wireline Competition Bureau extend further limited, interim fixed support in the amount of $33,276 for AEE and $40,104 for WCC monthly, beginning February 2014, for, whichever comes first, a period of no longer than six months or until the Bureaus and/or the Commission complete review of the companies' Petition for Reconsideration and/or Application for Review.WordPDF

2/27/2014Rural Broadband Workshop Public Notice: Announced, per the Technology Transitions Order, a Rural Broadband Workshop to be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2014 in the Commission Meeting Room.WordPDF

2/24/2014Dismissing Waiver Deadline Petitions Public Notice: Dismissed four petitions for waiver of various high-cost universal service filing deadline, where petitioners did not, in response to a Public Notice, express to the Commission continuing intent to pursue their petitions.WordPDF

2/6/2014Census Tracts Public Notice: Released a list of census tracts in price cap areas potentially suitable for targeted technology transitions experiments, with associated potential support amounts, based on Connect America Cost Model v4.0.WordPDF

1/15/20142014 Benchmarks Public Notice: Released the 2014 HCLS benchmarks.WordPDFBenchmarks

1/10/2014Adak-Windy City Interim Support Extension Order: Approved limited, interim relief for Adak and Windy City from certain Commission rules governing high-cost universal service support, to provide the companies with limited additional interim support.WordPDF

1/10/2014Connect America Phase I Challenge Resolution Order: Resolved challenges in the Connect America Phase I challenge process and authorized distribution of approximately $18.7 million in Phase I support.WordPDF

1/9/2014Study Area Boundary Extension Order: Entends the filing deadlines for carriers certify revised study area to March 17, 2014.WordPDF

2013

12/24/2013NCTA Application for Review Public Notice: Reminds parties of deadlines for filing oppositions and replies regarding NCTA's Application for Review of the Connect America Phase II Service Obligations Order.Word|PDF

12/18/2013NECA Average Schedule Order: Approved the National Exchange Carrier Association's proposed annual average schedule company high-cost loop support formula modifications for 2014.Word|PDF

12/18/2013Connect America Cost Model Version 4.0 Illustrative Results Public Notice: Announces that the illustrative results for the Connect America Cost Model Version 4.0, and updated model documentation, are now publicly available.Word|PDF

12/17/2013Cordova Wireless Public Notice: Seeking the Commission's agreement with the Regulatory Commission of Alaska redefinition of a certain wire center as a separate service area of Sitka study area of ACS of the Northland, Inc. d/b/a Alaska Communications Systems, ACS Long Distance and ACS (ACS-N).Word|PDF

12/4/2013Connect America Model 4.0 Public Notice: Announced that the default inputs for the Connect America Cost Model Version 4.0 are now publicly available.Word|PDF

12/3/2013Connect America Fund Phase II Transitions Public Notice: : Seeks to further develop the record on several implementation issues regarding the transition from Connect America Phase I to Phase II.Word|PDF

12/2/2013Connect America Phase II Cost Model Version 4.0 Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Availability Of Version 4.0 Of The Connect America Fund Phase II Cost Model And Seeks Comment On Adopting Current Default Inputs In Final Version Of Model.Word|PDF

11/19/2013Deadline Waiver Petition Reduction Public Notice: Seeks to determine parties' continuing interest in several petitions for waiver of various high-cost universal service filing deadlines.Word|PDF

11/18/2013MTA Communications and Cordova Wireless Communications LLC Public Notice: Seeking waiver of the line-count filing deadline required by sections 54.307 and 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules for receipt of high-cost universal service support.Word|PDF

11/7/2013Madison Telephone Company Public Notice: Seeks comment on Madison Telephone Company's waiver of several high-cost universal service rules in order to receive Safety Valve Support (SVS) for 2005-2013.Word|PDF

10/31/2013ACS Hawaiian and PRTC Phase I Round 2 Funding Public Notice: Authorized over $32 million in funding for the second round of Connect America Phase I, in response to elections from ACS, Hawaiian Telecom, and PRTC.Word|PDF

10/30/2013Navajo Pillars Telecommunications, Inc. Public Notice: Seeks comment on petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier and related waivers.Word|PDF

10/29/2013LSS Petitioners Waiver Order: Granted six carriers' petitions for waiver of the filing deadline for the submission of true-up data used to adjust Local Switching Support under the high-cost universal service support program.Word|PDF

10/29/2013SureWest Telephone High Cost Waiver Order: Denied SureWest Telephone's petition for waiver of the filing deadline for the annual state certification that high-cost universal service support is being used only for its intended purposes.Word|PDF

10/28/2013USF Implementation Report Deadline Extension Public Notice: Extends the deadline set in the Connect America Sixth Report on Reconsideration for the Bureau to report to the Commission on the progress of universal service reform implementation and the impact of reforms.Word|PDF

10/18/2013Connect America Fund Phase II Webinar Recording Public Notice: Announced that audio recordings of Connect America Phase II webinars are available on the Universal Service Administrative Company's website.Word|PDF

9/24/2013Split Census Blocks Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau emphasizes that Phase I funds may only be spent in price cap study areas. For census blocks split between multiple carriers, a rate of return carrier need not participate in the challenge process merely to state that a portion of a census block falls within its study area.Word|PDF

9/17/2013High-Cost Loop Support Formula Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on the 2014 Modification of the Average Schedule Company Universal Service High-Cost Loop Support Formula.Word|PDF

8/29/2013Connect America Fund Phase II Cost Model Public Notice: Announces the availability of version 3.2 of the CAM (including illustrative results), and seeks comment on certain adjustments to reflect the unique circumstances and operating conditions in the non-contiguous areas of the United States.Word|PDF

8/28/2013Connect America Challenge Process Public Notice: Publishes list of census blocks that price cap carriers have requested funding to serve as part of Connect America Phase I Second Round, and announces commencement of Phase I challenge process to determine whether the requested census blocks are unserved.Word|PDF

8/15/2013Adak Eagle Enterprises, LLC Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Reminds Parties of Deadline for filing Oppositions and Replies Regarding The Adak Eagle Enterprises, LLC and Windy City Celluar, LLC. Petition for Reconsideration and Applications for Reviews of The Adak/Windy City Waiver Order.Word|PDF

8/6/2013Eligible Telecommunications Carriers Annual Report Public Notice : Announces deadline of October 15 for ETC annual reports and deadline of December 16 for states and ETCs to file annual use certifications.WordPDF

7/29/2013South Central Waiver Order: Dismissed without prejudice the petition filed by South Central Telephone Association, Inc. for waiver of the Commission's per line per month support cap and benchmarks rules under the high-cost universal service support program.Word|PDF

7/26/20132014 Rate-of-Return Benchmarks Order: Adopted several measures to provide greater clarity regarding universal service high-cost support amounts that rate-of-return carriers will receive in 2014, with respect to quantile regression analysis and benchmarks.Word|PDF

7/19/2013Nemont Telephone Cooperative Inc. Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a Request for Review filed by Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc. of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company.Word|PDF

7/16/2013Connect America Fund - Sua Sponte Reconsideration Order: On reconsideration of the Connect America Phase I Order, requires carriers to report updates to planned Phase I deployments, and provides a limited waiver of the deadline for carriers to accept second round Phase I support.Word|PDF

7/15/2013Adak Eagle Enterprises & Windy City Cellular Order: Denied the petitions for waiver, filed by Adak Eagle Enterprises and Windy City Cellular, of the Commission's high-cost universal service support rules.Word|PDF

7/10/2013AT&T - Cordova Wireless Public Notice: The Bureau seeks comment on three Requests for Review of USAC decisions (two from AT&T, Inc. and the third from Cordova Wireless Communications LLC). The requests all address issues related to the reporting of mobile lines under 47 C.F.R. 54.307(b).Word|PDF

7/9/2013CAM Tutorial Video Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau announces the availability of a tutorial video designed to assist parties accessing and utilizing the Connect America Cost Model (CAM) to better understand the structure and inputs contained in the capital expenditures workbook.Word|PDF

6/17/2013Virtual Workshop Community Anchor Institutions & Business Locations Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the release of two new discussion topics, related to community anchor institutions and business locations, for the Connect America Cost Model virtual workshop.Word|PDF

6/14/2013Silver Star Telephone Company Public Notice: Reminds parties of filing deadlines for oppositions and replies on Silver Star's Application for Review, which requests a change in the data used in the quantile regression analysis model for Silver Star's Idaho and Wyoming study areas.Word|PDF

6/10/2013Connect America Fund ETC Reporting Waiver Order: Waived the deadline for eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to file their annual high-cost reports and waived the filing deadline for states and ETCs to file their annual certifications.Word|PDF

6/7/2013Connect America Fund Phase II Cost Model Version 3.1.3 Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the availability of version 3.1.3 of the Connect America Cost Model (CAM), which allows Commission staff and interested parties to calculate costs based on a series of inputs and assumptions for Connect America Phase II implementation.Word|PDF

5/22/2013Connect America Fund Phase I, Round 2 Report and Order: Adopted Report and Order providing for a second round of Connect America Phase I incremental funding in 2013 to further leverage private investment in rural America and accelerate the availability of broadband to consumers who lack access.Word|PDF

5/17/2013Rural Associations Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau Announces the Comment Cycle for Oppositions and Replies to the Rural Associations' Petition for Reconsideration of the Commission's 6th Order on Reconsideration and MO&O.Word|PDF

5/16/2013Rural Broadband Rate-of-Return Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on options to promote the availability of modern voice and broadband-capable networks in rural areas served by rate-of-return carriers.Word|PDF

5/16/2013Connect America Fund Phase II Challenge Process Order: Announces the parameters for the Connect America Phase II challenge process and the process by which price cap carriers may make their state-level commitments under Phase II.Word|PDF

5/10/2013Sandwich Isles Order: Denied a petition filed by Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. for a waiver of the universal service and intercarrier compensation reform rules, including section 54.302 of the Commission rules.Word|PDF

4/29/2013Connect America Fund Phase II Version 3.1 Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the availability of version 3.1 of the Connect America Cost Model (CAM), which allows Commission staff and interested parties to calculate costs based on a series of inputs and assumptions for Connect America Phase II implementation.Word|PDF

4/25/2013Windy City Cellular Company Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Windy City Cellular Company for waiver of section 54.307 (c) of the Commission's rules.Word|PDF

4/10/2013US Telecom Association Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by US Telecom Association for reconsideration and clarification of certain aspects of section 54.313 of the Commission's rules.Word|PDF

3/26/2013High-Cost Loop Support Benchmarks Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau releases updated 2013 high-cost loop support benchmarks, accounting for the changes adopted in the Sixth Order on Reconsideration and making minor corrections to the input variables.Word|PDF|Benchmarks

3/11/2013Version Three - Connect America Fund Phase II Cost Model: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the availability of version three of the Connect America Cost Model, which allows Commission staff and interested parties to calculate costs based on a series of inputs and assumptions for Connect America Phase II implementation.Word|PDF

3/4/2013Border to Border Communications Letter: Requests further information from Border to Border Communications, Inc. regarding its petition for waiver of two high-cost universal service support rules.Word|PDF

2/26/2013Connect America Phase II Service Obligations Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on issues related to the service obligations for support recipients and unsubsidized competitors in Phase II of Connect America.Word|PDF

2/14/2013FairPoint Communications Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by FairPoint Communications, Inc. for waiver of certain high-cost universal service rules that are outlined in sections 54.313(c) of the Commission's rules.Word|PDF

2/12/2013Virtual Workshop Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau has posted information in the Connect America Cost Model (CACM) virtual workshop describing the differences between the model previously submitted into the record by the ABC Coalition (CQBAT) and version one of CACM, as well as between CACM version one and CACM version two.Word|PDF

2/8/2013Connect America Phase II Public Notice: Seeks to further develop the record on issues relating to Connect America Phase II support for price cap carriers serving areas outside of the contiguous United States.Word|PDF

2/1/2013SureWest Telephone Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by SureWest Telephone for a waiver of the deadline required by section 54.314(d)(1) and (d)(2) of the Commission's rules for filing a certification to receive high-cost universal service support.Word|PDF

2/1/2013Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Sandwich Isles Communications for waiver of several high-cost universal service rules, including a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in part 36 of the Commission's rules.Word|PDF

1/29/20132013 HCLS Benchmarks Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announced the high-cost loop support benchmarks to be used by NECA for 2013.Word|PDF

1/29/2013Coral Wireless Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Coral Wireless's petition for review/waiver regarding a USAC decision that lines must be revenue producing to be eligible for support.Word|PDF

1/29/2013Micronesia LSS Deadline Waiver Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by filed by Micronesia Telecommunications Corporation for waiver of section 54.301 (e) of the Commission's rules which sets forth the deadline for certain ILECs to file true-up data with USAC to be eligible to receive local switching support.Word|PDF

1/23/2013Wireless Internet Service Providers Association Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau dismisses in part and denies in part an emergency petition for reconsideration/extension of time filed by the Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA).Word|PDF

1/23/2013FairPoint Communications, Inc. Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by filed by FairPoint Communications, Inc. for waiver of section 54.301 (e) of the Commission's rules which sets forth the deadline for certain ILECs to file true-up data with USAC to be eligible to receive local switching support.Word|PDF

1/23/2013Consolidated Communications of Fort Bend Company Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Consolidated Communications of Fort Bend for waiver of section 54.301 (e) of the Commission's rules which sets forth the deadline for certain ILECs to file true-up data with USAC to be eligible to receive local switching support.Word|PDF

1/23/2013CenturyLink Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by filed by CenturyLink for waiver of section 54.301 (e) of the Commission's rules which sets forth the deadline for certain ILECs to file true-up data with USAC to be eligible to receive local switching support.Word|PDF

1/22/2013Connect America Phase II Public Notice: A summary of the Bureau's Public Notice seeking comment on matters related to Connect America Phase II was published in the Federal Register on January 18, 2013. Comments on the Public Notice are due February 19, 2013, with replies due March 4, 2013.Word|PDF

1/18/2013Fairpoint Communications Missouri, Inc. Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by FairPoint Communications Missouri, Inc. for waiver of Section 54.313(h)(1) of the Commission's rules or in the alternative, FairPoint, seeks that the Commission clarify an alleged inconsistency in reporting dates in sections 54.313(h)(1) and 54.318(f)(1).Word|PDF

1/18/2013Steelville Telephone Exchange, Inc. Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Steelville Telephone Exchange, Inc. for waiver of Section 54.313(h)(1) of the Commission's rules. Steelville seeks permission to refile its local rate data to reflect rates that went into effect after June 1.Word|PDF

1/17/2013Remote Areas Fund Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks further comment on issues related to the implementation of the Remote Areas Fund.Word|PDF

1/11/2013Jordan Soldier Valley Telephone Company Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Jordan Soldier Valley Telephone Company for a waiver of section 54.301(e)(1) of the Commission's rules which sets the deadline for certain incumbent local exchange carriers to file true-up data to receive LSS.Word|PDF

1/2/2013Modifications to Connect America Phase I Comment Cycle Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the comment cycle for Connect America Phase I FNPRM following publication of the FNPRM in the Federal Register. Comments will be due on January 28, 2013 and reply comments will be due on February 11, 2013.Word|PDF

12/13/20122013 NECA Average Schedule Order: Wireline Competition Bureau approves NECA's 2013 proposed modifications to the formula used to calculate interstate USF High Cost Loop Support for Average Schedule Companies.Word|PDF

12/11/2012Phase II Cost Model Public Notice: Today, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) announces the availability of version one of the Connect America Cost Model, which provides Commission staff and interested parties the ability to calculate costs using a variety of different inputs and assumptions. Parties may access this version of the cost model at https://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/caf-phase-ii-models. Parties also will be required to execute the relevant acknowledgement of confidentiality, licensing, and nondisclosure documents that will be released as attachments to a Third Supplemental Protective Order.https://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/caf-phase-ii-models. Parties also will be required to execute the relevant acknowledgement of confidentiality, licensing, and nondisclosure documents that will be released as attachments to a Third Supplemental Protective Order, Word version.">Word|PDF

12/11/2012Third Supplemental Protective Order: On November 18, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released the USF/ICC Transformation Order. In that Order, the Commission adopted a methodology for distributing universal service support under the newly created Connect America Fund Phase II in areas served by price cap carriers. The methodology will use a forward-looking cost model to estimate the costs of deployment of voice and broadband capable networks in high-cost areas and identify at a granular level the areas where support will be made available. The Commission delegated to the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) "the task of selecting a specific engineering cost model and associated inputs" that meet the criteria specified in the USF/ICC Transformation Order.Word|PDF

12/10/2012Census Blocks Public Notice: Announced updated list of unserved census blocks based on updates and corrections to the underlying geographic information system data.Word|PDF

12/10/2012South Park, LLC Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by South Park, L.L.C. d/b/a South Park Telephone Company for waiver of section 54.302 of the Commission's rules, and of the rule limiting capital and operating costs reimbursable through HCLS.Word|PDF

12/5/2012National Broadband Map Public Notice: Announced publication of a list of census blocks in price cap territories shown as unserved on the National Broadband Map, and sought comment on corrections and changes to that list.Word|PDF

12/3/2012CenturyLink Order: Granted CenturyLink's request to extend the deadline for New Jersey to file its 54.314 certification on behalf of CenturyLink.Word|PDF

11/20/2012Dell Telephone Cooperative, Inc. Letter: Requested further information from Dell Telephone Cooperative, Inc. regarding its petition for waiver of three new Universal Service Fund rules.Word|PDF

11/19/2012Connect America Phase I Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: On November 18, 2011, the Commission released the USF/ICC Transformation Order and FNPRM, which comprehensively reforms and modernizes the high-cost universal service and intercarrier compensation systems.Word|PDF

11/16/2012USF/ICC Transformation Fifth Order on Reconsideration: Reconsidered and clarified certain aspects of the USF/ICC Transformation Order regarding financial reporting obligations and requests for waiver in response to various petitions for reconsideration and/or clarification.Word|PDF

11/5/2012High Cost Universal Service Filing Deadline Waiver Public Notice: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division (Division) of the Wireline Competition Bureau has found that there is good cause to grant two petitions for waiver of Commission rules that set forth deadlines that eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) had to meet for ETCs to be eligible to receive certain forms of high-cost universal service support.Word|PDF

10/19/2012Connect America Additional Phase II Cost Model Virtual Workshop Public Notice: On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, the Wireline Competition Bureau announced the commencement of the Connect America Phase II cost model virtual workshop and listed a number of discussion topics for which it sought public input.Word|PDF

10/3/2012Border to Border Communications, Inc. Order: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grants the request of Border to Border Communications for expedited waiver to correct its study area boundaries that were used in regression analysis that established "benchmarks" for high-cost loop support.Word|PDF

10/2/2012Alaska Communications Systems Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for waiver of certain Connect America Phase I rules filed by ACS. Specifically, ACS requests waiver of the requirement to deploy broadband to one unserved location for every $775 in Phase I support accepted.Word|PDF

9/17/2012ACS Wireless, Inc. Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau waives the July 2, 2012 deadline for ETCs to file their annual reports required under the USF/ICC Transformation Order. ETCs are given 30 days from the release of this Order to file any necessary reports. The Bureau dismisses as moot a petition for waiver filed by ACS Wireless of its filing deadline. The Bureau also waives the October 1, 2012 deadline for states to file annual certifications that universal service funding is being properly used. States have 60 days from release of this Order to file their certifications.Word|PDF

9/13/2012Wauneta Telephone Company Order: In this order, we grant the request of Wauneta Telephone Company (Wauneta) for expedited waiver to correct its study area boundaries that were used in the regression analysis that established "benchmarks" for high-cost loop support (HCLS).Word|PDF

9/12/20122013 Modification of the Average Schedule Universal Service High Cost Loop Support Formula Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the 2013 Modification of Average Schedule high-cost loop support formula proposed by NECA.Word|PDF

9/11/2012Fairpoint Communications Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by FairPoint Communications, Inc for a waiver of certain portions of section 54.312(b) of the Commission's rules, which, among other things, provides the timeframe and obligations associated with accepting Connect America Phase I incremental support.Word|PDF

8/30/2012Matanuska Telephone Association Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the Matanuska Telephone Association's petition for waiver of the CAPEX benchmark.Word|PDF

8/27/2012Allband Filing Deadline Public Notice: WCB reminds parties of deadline for filing oppositions and replies regarding the Allband Communications Cooperative Application for Review of the decision issued by the WCB in the July 25, 2012 order, DA 12-1194. In their August 24, 2012 filing, Allband seeks: Extending the current waiver of section 54.302 from three years to 15 years and also seeks a waiver of section 36.621(a)(5) for the same fifteen-year period.Word|PDF

8/20/2012Connect America Phase II Cost Model Workshop Public Notice: On November 18, 2011, the Commission released the USF/ICC Transformation Order, which comprehensively reforms and modernizes the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems.Word|PDF

7/27/2012Virgin Islands Telephone Corp. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Virgin Islands Telephone Corp. d/b/a Innovative Telephone (Innovative) for a waiver of the filing deadline required by section 54.904(d) of the Commission's rules. Section 54.904(d) sets forth the deadline for carriers eligible to receive Interstate Common Line Support to file an annual certification with the Universal Service Administrative Company and the Commission.Word|PDF

7/26/2012Rates Survey Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a proposed survey of urban rates for fixed voice and fixed broadband residential services. The Bureau also seeks comment concerning how, using data from the urban rates survey, to determine the local voice rate floor and the reasonable comparability benchmarks for fixed voice and fixed broadband services.Word|PDF

7/25/2012Allband Communication Cooperative Order: In this order, we grant in part and dismiss as moot in part a petition filed by Allband Communications Cooperative (Allband or Company) for a waiver of section 54.302 of the Commission's rules, which established a $250 per line per month cap on high-cost universal service support ("$250 cap"), and section 36.621(a)(5) of the Commission's rules, which limits reimbursement of capital and operating costs from high-cost loop support (HCLS).Word|PDF

7/25/2012Windstream Communications Public Notice: In this Public Notice, WCB seeks comment on a petition filed by Windstream Communications for waiver of certain portions of section 54.312(b) of the Commission's rules, which, among other things, provides that a recipient of CAF Phase I incremental support must deploy broadband to one unserved location, as shown on the then-current National Broadband Map, for every $775 of incremental support the recipient accepts.Word|PDF

7/19/2012ACS Wireless, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by ACS Wireless, Inc. for a waiver of section 54.313(j) of the Commission's rules, which requires an eligible telecommunications carrier to file an annual report with the Commission, the Universal Service Administrative Company, and the relevant state commissions, relevant authority in a U.S. Territory, or Tribal governments, as appropriate.Word|PDF

7/18/2012Connect America Fund Phase I Clarification Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) clarifies certain rules relating to Phase I of the Connect America Fund (CAF) in order to assist the price cap carriers that shortly will be making their election to accept additional funding to spur broadband deployment.Word|PDF

7/12/2012Border to Border Communications, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Border to Border Communications, Inc. for waiver of two high-cost universal service rules.Word|PDF

7/11/2012Dell Telephone Cooperative Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Dell Telephone Cooperative for waiver of three high-cost universal service rules.Word|PDF

7/5/2012CTIA - The Wireless Association and the United States Telecom Association Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for clarification and in the alternative a petition for waiver of various reporting requirements of sections 54.313(a)(11), 54.313(c) and 54.313(a)(1) of the Commission's rules and clarification or reconsideration of the five-year service quality improvement plans filed by CTIA and USTelecom on June 25 2012.Word|PDF

6/29/20122012 Second Modification of Average Schedule Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau approves modifications proposed by NECA to the formula used to calculate universal service high-cost loop support starting July 1, 2012.Word|PDF

6/26/2012Silver Star Telephone Company Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau denies petitions to stay the implementation of the HCLS benchmarks filed by Silver Star Telephone Company, Blue Valley Telecommunications, East Ascension Telephone Company, and a group of rural trade associations.Word|PDF

6/26/2012West River Cooperative Telephone Company and Kennebec Telephone Companies Order: WCB grants requests of West River Cooperative and Kennebec Telephone for expedited waiver to correct their study area boundaries used for high-cost loop support benchmarks.Word|PDF

6/8/2012Comments on Model Design and Data Inputs for Phase II of the Connect America Fund Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a number of threshold decisions regarding the design of and data inputs to the forward-looking cost model to be used in Connect America Fund Phase II, and on other assumptions in the cost models currently in the record.Word|PDF

6/6/2012Letter to Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc.: In this letter, WCB requests further information from Sandwich Isles regarding its petition for waiver of section 54.302 of the Commission's rules.Word|PDF

6/1/2012Average Schedule Company Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the proposed formula which if approved is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2012, and remain in effect through December 3, 2012.Word|PDF

5/31/2012ADAK Eagle Enterprises, LLC d/b/a ADAK Telephone Utility Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Adak Eagle Enterprises, LLC d/b/a Adak Telephone Utility for waiver of section 54.302 of the Commission's rules, which establishes a total limit on high-cost universal service support of $250 per-line per-month to be phased in over three years beginning July 1, 2012.Word|PDF

5/31/2012HCLS Benchmarks Order Filing and Commenting Deadline Reminder Public Notice: In this Public Notice, WCB announces deadlines for comments on four applications for review of WCB's HCLS Benchmarks Order.Word|PDF

5/14/2012USF/ICC Transformation Third Order on Reconsideration: The Commission reconsiders and clarifies certain aspect of the USF/ICC Transformation Order in response to various petitions for reconsideration and/or clarification. The Commission addresses certain aspects of ETC reporting obligations, support adjustments for carriers with artificially low local rates, and issues related to support for carriers serving Alaska. The Commission also denies two requests related to intercarrier compensation.Word|PDF

5/4/2012Accipiter Communications Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition for waiver of section 54.302 and other new rules of the Commission's rules relating to the new regression cap formulas, WC Docket Nos. 10-90 and 10-208 (filed April 18, 2012); 47 C.F.R. § 54.302.Word|PDF

4/25/2012HCLS Benchmarks Implementation Order: WCB implements benchmarks for carriers receiving high-cost loop support (HCLS), placing reasonable overall limits on costs eligible for reimbursement through HCLS and redistributing freed-up HCLS to carriers that stay within the limits to allow for new broadband investment.Word|PDF

4/25/2012CAF Phase I Incremental Support Amounts Public Notice: WCB announces carriers' eligibility for Connect America Fund Phase I incremental support, which will be used to spur broadband deployment in unserved areas.Word|PDF

3/8/2012The Hargray Telephone Company and Bluffton Telephone Company Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Hargray Telephone Company and Bluffton Telephone Company petition for waiver of section 54.301(e) of the Commission's, WC Docket No. 08-71(filed February 17, 2012); 47 C.F.R. § 54.301(e).Word|PDF

2/29/2012High Cost Universal Service Filing Deadline Public Notice: Telecommunications Access Policy Division of the Wireline Competition Bureau has found that there is good cause to grant three petitions for waiver of Commission rules.Word|PDF

2/13/2012Allband Communications Cooperative Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Allband Communications Cooperative (Allband) for waiver of two high-cost universal service rules.Word|PDF

2/3/2012Clarifying Aspects of USF/ICC Transformation Order: The Commission delegated to the Wireline Competition Bureau and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureaus) the authority to revise and clarify rules as necessary to ensure that the reforms adopted in the Order are properly reflected in the rules.Word|PDF

2/3/2012USF/ICC Public Notice: On January 12, 2012, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau released a Public Notice listing the 24 petitions for reconsideration of the Commission's USF/ICC Transformation Order.Word|PDF

2/3/2012ACS Wireless, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for review filed by ACS Wireless, Inc. of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company.Word|PDF

1/27/2012ITTA et al. Clarification PN Concerning the Connect America Fund Rate Floor: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Independent Telephone and Telecommunications Alliance (ITTA), National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), National Telecommunications Cooperative Association (NTCA), Organization for the Promotion and Advancement of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO), and Western Telecommunications Alliance (WTA) (collectively, the Petitioners) for clarification of certain aspects of the recently adopted rules in the USF/ICC Transformation Order and FNPRM.Word|PDF

1/11/2012Grant Stamp Public Notice: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division of the Wireline Competition Bureau has found that there is good cause to grant three petitions for waiver of Commission rules setting forth deadlines.Word|PDF

1/10/2012Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc. for waiver of the universal service and intercarrier compensation reform rules.Word|PDF

1/9/20122011 Modification High Cost Universal Service Support Order: Each year, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) reviews and approves or modifies any proposed modifications to the formulas used to calculate universal service high-cost loop support (HCLS) and local switching support (LSS) for average schedule companies. Pursuant to section 69.606(b) of the Commission's rules, the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. (NECA) files the annual average schedule company formula modifications for HCLS. Pursuant to section 54.301(f) of the Commission's rules, the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) submits the proposed formula for LSS. The Commission's rules require that these formulas "simulate the disbursements that would be received … by a company that is representative of average schedule companies.Word|PDF

1/9/2012Walnut Hill Telephone Company Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Walnut Hill Telephone Company request for review of a decision by USAC regarding an audit conducted by KPMG and the findings of irregular accounting practices relating to Part 32 of Uniform System of Accounts and a petition for waiver of section 32.27(c) of the Commission's rules.Word|PDF

2011

12/22/2011Midcontinent Communications Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Midcontinent Communications for waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules for receipt of high-cost universal service support. Section 54.307(c) sets forth the deadline for a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier to file line count data with the Universal Service Administrative Company to receive high-cost universal service support.Word|PDF

12/22/2011Virgin Islands Telephone Corp. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Virgin Islands Telephone Corp. d/b/a Innovative Telephone (Innovative) to waive the National Exchange Carrier Association's (NECA) rolling 24-month adjustment period and require that NECA recalculate Innovative's 2011 High Cost Loop Support (HCLS) based on corrected loop count data. Innovative claims that its 2009 loop count data submitted to NECA was inaccurate because Innovative had been erroneously including loops that were related to non-switched wideband services.Word|PDF

12/22/2011Citizens Tel Coop Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Citizens Tel Coop for waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.314(d) of the Commission's rules for receipt of high-cost universal service support. Section 54.314(d), among other things, sets forth the deadline for a rural incumbent local exchange carrier that is not subject to state jurisdiction to file an annual certification with the Commission and the Universal Service Administrative Company stating that the carrier "will only use support for the provision, maintenance, and upgrading of facilities and services for which support is intended," which is required for such a carrier to be eligible to receive high-cost universal service support.Word|PDF

12/15/2011Forward-Looking Cost Models Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau requests parties to submit forward-looking cost models by February 1, 2012 to be used for estimating Connect America Fund support amounts in price cap areas by the end of 2012 in order to provide support beginning January 1, 2013.Word|PDF

12/7/2011Washington RSA No.8 Limited Partnership Order: In this Order, we deny a request by Washington RSA No. 8 Limited Partnership; Eastern Sub-RSA Limited Partnership d/b/a Inland Cellular (Inland Cellular) for a waiver of the universal service high-cost support filing deadlines set forth in sections 54.307(c) and 54.802(a) of the Commission rules.Word|PDF

12/2/2011USF/ICC Transformation Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice that it is releasing data and maps relevant to the USF/ICC Transformation Proceeding.Word|PDF

11/18/2011USF/ICC Transformation Order & FNPRM: In this order, the Commission comprehensively reforms and modernizes the universal service and intercarrier compensation systems to ensure that robust, affordable voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, are available to Americans throughout the nation.Word|PDF

10/5/2011NECA 2012 Modification Public Notice: Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the 2012 Modifications of Average Schedule Company Universal Service High-Cost Loop Support and Local Switching Support Formulas.Word|PDF

9/12/2011Telenational Communications, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Telenational Communications, Inc. for waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules for receipt of high-cost universal service support.Word|PDF

8/17/2011Triangle Communication Systems, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions filed on August 4, 2011 by Triangle Communication System, Inc. ("Triangle"), pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules. In its petition, Triangle requests the Commission's agreement with the Montana Public Service Commission to redefine the service area of two rural telephone companies. In one petition, Triangle seeks to redefine the service area of Central Montana Communications; in the other, Triangle seeks to redefine the service area of Triangle Telephone Cooperative Association, Inc.Word|PDF

8/5/2011Totah Communications, Inc. Order: In the attached order, the Bureau denies a petition filed by Totah Communications, Inc. (Totah) for a waiver of section 36.621(a)(4) of the Commission's rules, which caps the amount of high-cost universal service support recoverable for carriers' corporate operations expenses. Totah provides local exchange telephone service in areas of rural Oklahoma and states that it has corporate operations expenses that exceed the Commission's limit on the recovery of such expenses for purposes of receiving loop support. In its request, Totah contends that it would not be able to maintain affordable rates in its service area without a waiver of the corporate operations expense cap. We conclude that Totah has failed to demonstrate that there is good cause to waive the applicable section of the Commission's rules.Word|PDF

8/3/2011Universal Service Intercarrier Compensation Transformation Public Notice: In response to the USF/ICC Transformation NPRM, several parties have offered specific proposals for reform. We seek comment on how these proposals comport with the Commission's articulated objectives and statutory requirements. We invite comment on specific aspects of the proposals and on additional issues that are not fully developed in the record.Word|PDF

6/27/2011CAL Communications, Inc. Order: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau extends by 90 days the date by which the petition requesting forbearance filed by CAL Communications, Inc shall be deemed granted in the absence of a Commission decision that the petition fails to meet the standards for forbearance.TextPDF

6/6/2011Restated Line Count Letter: With this letter, the Commission provides explanation to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) concerning procedures to be followed when a competitive Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (ETC) files revised line count reports with USAC.TextPDF

5/16/2011Cricket Forbearance 90 Day Extension: In this order, pursuant to section 10(c) of the Communications Act, we extend by 90 days the date by which the petition requesting forbearance filed by Cricket Communications, Inc. shall be deemed granted in the absence of a Commission decision that the petition fails to meet the standards for forbearance under section 10(a) of the Act.TextPDF

5/12/2011Western Wireless Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau approves the requests of Western Wireless, LLC, successor by merger of Western Wireless Corporation d/b/a Verizon Wireless (Western Wireless), to relinquish its eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designations in the state of Wyoming and on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.TextPDF

5/12/2011AT&T Mobility Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau addresses a petition filed by AT&T pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act in which AT&T requests transfer of the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation held by Western Wireless, LLC d/b/a Alltel for service offered to Tribal members on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the state of South Dakota and designation as an ETC. The Bureau grants in part AT&T Mobility's petition, finding that AT&T meets the eligibility requirements of section 214(e)(1) of the Act and the Commission's rules to be designated as an ETC.TextPDF

5/4/2011Verizon Wireless Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Verizon Wireless for reconsideration of the Bureau's April 1, 2011 letter to USAC to implement the company-specific cap on high-cost universal service support that the Commission imposed in October 2007 on Verizon Wireless's predecessor in interest, Alltel Corporation.
Public Notice Word | PDF

4/28/2011NewComm Wireless Services, Inc. Order: In this Order, we address a petition filed by NewComm Wireless Services, Inc. d/b/a MoviStar (NewComm) for a waiver of the universal service high-cost support filing deadline set forth in section 54.307(d) of the Commission rules.
Order Word | PDF

4/18/2011Windstream Communications, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Windstream Communications, Inc. for waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.903(a) of the Commission's rules for receipt of high-cost universal service support.
Public Notice Word | PDF

3/30/2011Universal Service Fund/Intercarrier Compensation Reform Workshop Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the second in a series of workshops on universal service and intercarrier compensation reform. This workshop, to be held April 27, 2011, in Washington D.C., will focus on universal service reform proposals, including Phase One of the Connect America Fund.
Public Notice Word | PDF

3/29/2011Ringsted Communications Company Order: In this order, we grant a request by Ringsted Communications Company (Ringsted) for a waiver of a deadline set forth in section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to file line count data with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to receive certain high-cost universal service support.
Order Word | PDF

3/29/2011F&B Communications, Inc. f/k/a Farmers' and Business Men's Telephone Order: In this order, we grant a request by F&B Communications, Inc. f/k/a Farmers' and Business Men's Telephone Company (F&B Communications) for a waiver of section 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules, which sets forth deadlines for eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) providing service within an area served by a price cap local exchange carrier (LEC) to file line count data on a quarterly basis with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to receive certain high-cost universal service support.
Order Word | PDF

3/16/2011Cellular South Licenses, Inc. and United States Cellular Corp. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition filed by Cellular South Licenses, Inc. and United States Cellular Corporation requesting that the Commission reconsider its decision amending a rule established by the Interim Cap Order to reclaim high-cost universal service support surrendered by a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) when it relinquishes ETC status in a particular state.
Public Notice Word | PDF

3/10/2011USF/ICC Reform Public Notice: On February 9, 2011, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on proposals to fundamentally modernize the Commission's universal service fund and intercarrier compensation system.
Public Notice Word | PDF

2/9/2011Connect America Fund NPRM: In this NPRM, the Commission proposes to transform the high-cost portion of the Universal Service Fund to support broadband, as well as to reform the intercarrier compensation system.
NPRM Word | PDF

1/25/2011Puerto Rico Telephone Company Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for review filed by the Puerto RicoTelephone Company regarding a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), concerning the performance audit conducted by KPMG LLP (KPMG) for the Universal Service Fund disbursements made to the company during the twelve-month period ended June 30, 2008.
Public Notice Word | PDF

1/25/2011Dialtoneservices, L.P. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by DialToneServices, L.P. for waiver of the December, 30 2010 filing deadlines of the Commission's Rules.
Public Notice Word | PDF

1/19/2011Puerto Rico Telephone Company Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for review filed by the Puerto Rico Telephone Company of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) concerning an audit of Puerto Rico Telephone Company's compliance with federal universal service high-cost program requirements.
Public Notice Word | PDF

1/19/2011Consolidated Communications of Fort Bend Company Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request for review filed by Consolidated Communications of Fort Bend Company, Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company, and Consolidated Communications of Texas of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company concerning an audit of those companies' compliance with federal universal service high-cost program requirements.
Public Notice Word | PDF

1/19/2011Fulton Telephone Company Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Fulton Telephone Company for review of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company concerning an audit of Fulton Telephone Company's compliance with federal universal service high-cost program requirements.
Public Notice Word | PDF

1/13/2011Dixie Net Communications, Inc. Order: In this order, we grant a request by Dixie Net Communications, Inc. (Dixie Net) for a waiver of section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules, which sets forth deadlines for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) to file line count data with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to receive certain high-cost universal service support.
Order Word | PDF

1/12/2011Upper Peninsula Telephone Co. and Michigan Central Broadband Co., LLC Public Notice: On December 29, 2010, Upper Peninsula Telephone Company (Upper Peninsula) and Michigan Central Broadband Company, LLC (Michigan Central) filed a joint petition for waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in part 36 of the Commission's rules. The Commission froze all study area boundaries effective November 15, 1984 to prevent incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (LECs) from establishing separate study areas made up only of high-cost exchanges to maximize their receipt of high-cost universal service support.
Public Notice Word | PDF

1/12/2011Cedar-Wapsie Communications, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Cedar-Wapsie Communications, Inc. for waiver of the filing deadline required by section 54.904(d) of the Commission's rules for receipt of universal service high-cost support. Section 54.904(d) sets forth the deadline for rate-of-return carriers and competitive eligible telecommunications carriers serving rate-of-return service areas to file an annual certification with the Universal Service Administrative Company and the Commission to receive Interstate Common Line Support.
Public Notice Word | PDF

2010

12/20/2010Average Schedule Order: In this order, the Commission adopts NECA's average schedule loop formula and USAC's universal service support formula.
Order Word | PDF

12/8/2010Tracfone Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed on December 1, 2010, by TracFone Wireless, Inc. (TracFone) for a declaratory ruling.
Public Notice Word | PDF

12/2/2010East Ascension Telephone Company LLC and EATELCORP, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on an appeal filed by the East Ascension Telephone Company LLC and EATELCORP, INC. of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company concerning a performance audit conducted by KPMG LLP regarding universal service fund disbursements made to EATEL during the twelve-month period ending June 30, 2007.
Public Notice Word | PDF

11/9/2010Ringsted Communications Company Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Ringsted Communications Company for waiver of the March 30, 2010 filing deadlines of the Commission's Rules.
Public Notice Word | PDF

11/2/2010Partner Communications Cooperative Order: The Bureau extends from December 2, 2010, to March 2, 2011, the statutory deadline for acting on a petition filed by Partner Communications Cooperative requesting that the Commission forbear from applying the requirements of sections 54.305(b) and (d) of the Commission's rules.
Order Word | PDF

11/1/2010Georgia RSA #8 Partnership Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Georgia RSA #8 Partnership for waiver of the filing deadlines required by the Commission's rules for universal service high-cost support.
Public Notice Word | PDF

11/1/2010Virgin Islands Telephone Corp. d/b/a Innovatitive Telephone Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Virgin Islands Telephone Corp. d/b/a Innovative Telephone Inc. for review of USAC's management response to the independent auditor's report that evaluated the company's compliance with the requirements of the high-cost universal service program from July 1, 2007 thru June 30, 200 8 .Sections:54.719(c), 54.721 and 54.722 of the Commission's Rules (petition filed Oct. 21, 2010).
Public Notice Word | PDF

11/1/2010Syringa Wireless, LLC Order: In this order, the Bureau grants a request by Syringa Wireless, LLC (Syringa) for a waiver of the universal service high-cost filing deadline set forth in sections 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules. We conclude that a waiver is warranted because Syringa promptly filed the required data and states that it has revised its internal measures to ensure that it meet future deadlines.
Order Word | PDF

10/15/2010Comment Sought on F&B Communications, Inc. f/k/a Farmers' and Business Men's Telephone Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by F&B Communications, Inc. f/k/a Farmers' and Business Men's Telephone Company for a waiver of the filing deadline required by section 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules for receipt of universal service high-cost support.
Publoc Notice: Word | PDF

10/13/2010Comment Sought on the 2011 Modifications of Average Schedule Company Public Notice: On August 24, 2010, the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. filed its 2011 Modification of Average Schedule Universal Service High-Cost Loop Support Formula. On September 30, 2010, the Universal Service Administrative Company filed its 2011 Average Schedule Company Local Switching Support Formula. The proposed formulas, if approved, would be scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2011, and remain in effect through December 31, 2011. The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the proposed formulas.
Publoc Notice: Word | PDF

10/12/2010SouthernLINC Public Notice: On September 3, 2010, the Commission released the Corr Wireless Order, which addressed a petition requesting review of a Universal Service Administrative Company decision. On September 30, 2010, SouthernLINC filed a petition for reconsideration of the Corr Wireless Order, and on October 4, 2010, Allied Wireless Communications, Inc., et al., did as well. Pursuant to section 1.106 of the Commission's rules, oppositions to the SouthernLINC petition would be due on October 12, 2010, while oppositions to the Allied petition would be due on October 14, 2010.
Publoc Notice: Word | PDF

9/21/2010WCB Comments Deadline Public Notice: On September 3, 2010, the Commission released a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on permanently amending the Commission's rules to facilitate efficient use of reclaimed excess high-cost universal service support, and on a proposal to modify the Commission's rules to reclaim legacy support surrendered by a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) when it relinquishes ETC status in a particular state.
Publoc Notice: Word | PDF

9/17/2010Dixie Net Communications, Inc. Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Dixie Net Communications, Inc. for a waiver of the filing deadline required by section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules for receipt of universal service high-cost support.
Publoc Notice: Word | PDF

8/30/2010Allied Wireless Communications Corporation Order: In this order, the Bureau grants the petition of Allied Wireless Communications Corporation (AWCC) to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in the state of North Carolina. We find that AWCC meets the eligibility requirements of section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act and the Commission's rules to be designated as an ETC in North Carolina.
Order: Word | PDF

7/27/2010Pine Drive/Qwest Public Notice: Sought comment on joint petition of Pine Drive Telephone and Qwest to waive the study area boundary freeze as codified in Part 36 of the Commission's rules.
Public Notice: Word | PDF

7/22/2010Smith Bagley, Inc. Public Notice: Sought comment on Smith Bagley, Inc. request for review of a decision of the Universal Service Administrative Company and a request for declaratory ruling.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

6/4/2010Wellman Study Area Waiver Order: In this order, WCB grants a joint request from Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. (Iowa Telecom) and Wellman Cooperative Telephone Association (Wellman) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. The study area waiver will permit Iowa Telecom to transfer a small area from Iowa Telecom's existing Williamsburg exchange, including one access line, to Wellman's existing Iowa study area. WCB also grants Wellman's request for a waiver of section 54.305 of the Commission' rules to allow Wellman to receive universal service high-cost support for the acquired line in the same manner as its existing lines. Lastly, WCB grants Wellman's request for a waiver of section 69.605(c) so that it may continue to operate as an average schedule company after the transfer.
Order: Word | PDF | text

6/4/2010Verizon/Frontier Study Area Waiver Order: In this order, WCB grants, with one condition, a joint request from Verizon California Inc. (Verizon California), Verizon South Inc. (Verizon South), and Frontier Communications Corporation (Frontier) for waivers of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. The study area waiver will permit Verizon California to remove seven exchanges from its current California study area and permit Frontier to create a new California study area consisting of those same seven exchanges. In addition, the study area waiver will permit Verizon South to remove exchanges from its North Carolina study area, with the exception of its facilities and customers located in the Knotts Island exchange, permit Frontier to create a new North Carolina study area consisting of those same exchanges, and permit Verizon South to create a new North Carolina study area consisting solely of the Knotts Island exchange. The study area waiver requests are in connection with Verizon's sale of operating companies in a number of states to Frontier.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/28/2010Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless Order: In this order, WCB approves the request of Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless and its affiliates (Cellco) for pro forma amendment of the eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designations currently held by Cellco in the name of ALLTEL Communications, Inc. and its affiliated legal entities (Alltel) in Virginia and North Carolina, as well as ETC designations held by both Alltel and RCC Holdings, Inc. in Alabama. Under this order, the designated service areas of Alltel and RCC would reflect Cellco as the ETC designated entity. This order in does not affect the universal service reductions merger conditions.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/19/2010Iowa Telecom Order: In this order, the Bureau denies a petition filed by Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. requesting that the Commission waive certain sections of the Commission's rules to permit Iowa Telecom to receive universal service high-cost support under the non-rural mechanism.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/19/2010Qwest/RT Study Area Waiver: In this order, WCB grants a request from Qwest Corporation for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. The study area waiver will permit Qwest to remove a certain territory in Laramie County from its Wyoming study area and permit RT Communications, Inc. to add that same territory to its parent company's existing Wyoming study area.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/19/2010Qwest/El Paso Study Area Waiver: In this order, WCB grants a joint request from El Paso County Telephone (El Paso) and Qwest Corporation (Qwest) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. The study area waiver will permit Qwest to remove a territory from its Colorado study area and permit El Paso to add that territory to its existing Colorado study area, and will also permit El Paso to remove a territory from its Colorado study area and permit Qwest to add that territory to its existing Colorado study area.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/19/2010Panora/Prairie Study Area Waiver: In this order, WCB grants a joint request from Panora Communications Cooperative (Panora) and Prairie Telephone Co., Inc. (Prairie) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. The study area waiver will permit Prairie to remove a territory from its Iowa study area and permit Panora to add that same territory to its existing Iowa study area. We deny, however, Panora's request for waiver of section 54.305 of the Commission's rules.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/19/2010Eagle/Midvale Study Area Waiver: In this order, WCB grants a joint request from Eagle Telephone System, Inc. (Eagle) and Midvale Telephone Exchange, Incorporated (Midvale) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. The study area waiver will permit Midvale to remove the Connor Creek area located in northeast Oregon and a small portion of Idaho from its Idaho study area and permit Eagle to add that same territory to its existing Oregon study area.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/19/2010Qwest/Dubois Study Area Waiver: In this order, WCB grants a joint request from Dubois Telephone Exchange, Inc. (Dubois) and Qwest Corporation (Qwest) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze. The study area waiver will permit Qwest to remove the Carbon County territory from its Wyoming study area and permit Dubois to add that territory to its existing Wyoming study area.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/13/2010Universal Service Reform NOI and NPRM Comment Cycle Public Notice: WCB announces comment and reply comment deadlines for the Universal Service Reform NOI and NPRM of July 12, 2010 and August 11, 2010, respectively.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

5/7/2010Syringa Wireless, LLC Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Syringa Wireless, LLC seeking waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules for receipt of universal service high-cost support funds.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

5/5/2010PR Wireless Public Notice: On April 5, 2010, PR Wireless, Inc., pursuant to sections 54.721 and 54.722 of the Commission's rules, filed a request for review of an audit finding by USAC. Specifically, PR Wireless requests that the Commission review USAC's audit finding regarding the manner in which PR Wireless reports prepaid wireless subscribers in the universal service high-cost line counts it files with USAC. PR Wireless also requests reversal of USAC's decision to recover universal service high-cost support funds that the auditor determined to have been improperly paid to PR Wireless. The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on PR Wireless's request.
Order: Word | PDF | text

5/5/2010Etex Grant Order: In this order, we grant a request filed by ETEX Telephone Cooperative (ETEX) for a waiver of the October 1, 2008 data filing deadline set forth in section 54.301(b) of the Commission's rules concerning universal service local switching support (LSS). We find that ETEX has demonstrated that good cause warrants this waiver.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/29/2010499 Late Fee Denial Order (Achilles et al.): In this order, WCB denies thirteen requests for reversal of the late filing fee associated with the late filing of FCC Forms 499-A and 499-Q.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/29/2010GA PSC High-Cost Waiver Order: In this order, WCB grants the Georgia Public Service Commission's request for waiver of section 54.314(d)(1) of the Commission's rules for good cause.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/29/2010Nebraska Technologies High-Cost Waiver Denial Order: In this order, WCB denies six requests, filed by Nebraska Technology & Telecommunications, Inc.; Dixie-Net Communications, Inc.; The Community Cable Television Agency of O'Brien County d/b/a The Community Agency and TCA; H&B Cable Services, Inc.; FiberNet LLC; and Skylink LLC, for waiver of high-cost universal service support filing deadlines. The petitioners failed to promptly correct their mistakes or to demonstrate that special circumstances were present.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/29/2010Three ETC Relinquishments Order: In the order, TAPD grants relinquishments of ETC status by three federally designated ETCs. These relinquishments are not related to the Verizon Wireless or Sprint merger conditions and won't affect the size of the CETC interim cap.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/29/2010NEP Cellcorp ETC Designation Order: In this order, WCB grants the request of NEP Cellcorp, Inc. to amend its ETC designation in Pennsylvania to include the rural study area of North-Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/27/2010US Cellular Tennessee ETC Amendment Order: In this order, WCB grants the request of United States Cellular Corporation to amend its ETC designation in the state of Tennessee.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/21/2010FCC Kicks Off Universal Service Reform. This proposed notice of inquiry (NOI) and notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) represents the first step towards establishing the detailed analytic basis for a Universal Service Fund that will efficiently target funding to support broadband as well as voice service, while cutting inefficient funding of voice networks in the legacy high-cost support program. The NOI seeks comment on whether the Commission should use a model to assist in determining universal service support levels in areas where there is no private sector business case to provide broadband and voice services. The NOI also seeks comment on the best way to create an accelerated process to target funding toward new deployment of broadband networks in unserved areas, while the Commission considers final rules to implement fully a new broadband funding mechanism that efficiently ensures universal access to broadband and voice in areas where government support is necessary. Finally, the NPRM seeks comment on specific common-sense reforms to contain growth in the legacy high-cost support mechanisms and identify savings that can be shifted toward broadband communications.
NOI & NPRM: PDF
Genachowski Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat
Clyburn Statement: Word | Acrobat
Baker Statement: Word | Acrobat

4/16/2010Non-Rural Insular Order and NPRM: In the Order, the Commission addresses high-cost universal service support for non-rural carriers serving insular areas. In the NPRM, the Commission seeks comment on amending its rules to provide additional low-income support in Puerto Rico.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/16/2010Qwest II Remand Order and MO&O: In the Order on Remand, the Commission responds to the Tenth Circuit on high-cost universal service support for non-rural carriers. In the Memorandum Opinion and Order, the Commission determines that supplemental high-cost support is required under the current non-rural high-cost support mechanism to achieve reasonably comparable rates in Wyoming.
Order: Word | PDF | text

3/18/2010Local Switching Support Report & Order & Memorandum Opinion & Order: In this order, the Commission addresses an inequitable asymmetry in the Commission's current rules governing the receipt of universal service high-cost local switching support (LSS) by small incumbent local exchange carriers (LECs). By modifying the Commission's rules to permit incumbent LECs that lose lines to receive additional LSS when they cross a threshold, the order provides LSS to all small LECs on the same basis. Nothing in the order is intended to address the long-term role of LSS in the Commission's high-cost universal service policies, which the Commission is considering as part of comprehensive universal service reform.
Order: Word | PDF | text

2/24/2010Standing Rock Petition for Redefinition PN: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice that it is initiating a proceeding to consider a petition filed by Standing Rock Telecommunications, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, to redefine the service area served by several rural telephone companies in North and South Dakota.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

2/24/2010Verizon-Frontier Study Area Waiver PN: Verizon California and Frontier seek a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to transfer seven exchanges from Verizon California's existing California study area to a newly created Frontier study area in California. Verizon South and Frontier also seek a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to transfer all exchanges, with the exception of the Knotts Islands exchange, from Verizon South's existing North Carolina study area to a newly created Frontier study area in North Carolina. The study area waiver requests are in connection with the transaction in which Verizon proposes to transfer operating companies in a number of states to Frontier. The attached public notice seeks comment on the requested study area waiver.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

1/29/2010Bayland Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Bayland Communications, LLC seeking waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.904(d) of the Commission's rules for receipt of universal service high-cost support funds.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

1/12/2010Direct Allband Waiver Order: In this order, we deny requests from Direct Communications Cedar Valley, LLC (Direct) and Allband Communications Cooperative (Allband) for waivers of sections 36.611 and 36.612 of the Commission's rules. Direct requests a waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612 to allow it to receive universal service high-cost loop support payments as of February 1, 2006, the date that Direct closed its purchase of the Eagle Mountain City municipal telephone system (EMC). Allband requests a waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612 to allow it to receive support retroactively to the month that its first customer is provided service.
Order: Word | PDF | text

1/12/2010Smith Bagley Interim Cap Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Smith Bagley, Inc. (SBI) seeking a waiver of the interim cap that the Commission imposed on the amount of universal service high-cost support that competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) may receive. Specifically, SBI requests a waiver to enable SBI and other competitive ETCs to obtain uncapped high-cost support to provide or expand telecommunications services to residents of the Eastern Navajo Agency of the Navajo Nation in the state of New Mexico.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

1/12/2010Partner Forbearance Petition, and Protective Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Partner Communications Cooperative (Partner) seeking forbearance from section 54.305(b) and (d) of the Commission's rules. Specifically, Partner requests that the Commission forbear from enforcing section 54.305(b) and (d) of the Commission's rules so that Partner may receive additional universal service high-cost support and local switching support for four exchanges it acquired in 2006. Partner states that grant of its petition will allow Partner to upgrade its telephone network and provide the platform for eventual ubiquitous broadband coverage in the four acquired high-cost exchanges, as well as in its two original exchanges. Please note: Partner seeks confidential treatment of certain data provided in its filing, and a protective order is also attached.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text
Order: Word | PDF | text

1/12/2010Pine Belt High-Cost Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Pine Belt Telephone Company, Inc. that the Commission: (1) direct NECA to re-open the 24-month window that NECA established for its members to adjust cost studies submitted to NECA, so that Pine Belt may adjust its 2005 cost study; and (2) require that NECA reimburse Pine Belt for any amounts that may become due to Pine Belt as a result of Pine Belt's desired adjustments. Comments are due on February 11, 2010. Reply comments are due on February 26, 2010.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

1/4/2010Qwest II – Tenth Circuit Remand: On December 15, 2009, the Commission released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding high-cost universal service support for non-rural carriers, in response to the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in Qwest Communications International, Inc. v. FCC. The Commission set the comment and reply comment deadlines for this Further Notice as 30 and 45 days, respectively, after publication of the summary of the Further Notice in the Federal Register. On December 29, 2009, a summary of the Further Notice appeared in the Federal Register. Accordingly, comments will be due on January 28, 2010, and reply comments will be due on February 12, 2010.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

2009

12/30/092010 Average Schedule Order: Each year, NECA and USAC submit to WCB for approval proposed modifications of formulas that determine universal service high-cost loop and local switching support, respectively, for average schedule companies. The formulas are based on statistical analysis of sample companies. In the attached order, WCB approves the formulas.
Order: Word | PDF | text

12/22/09Wellman/Iowa Telecom Study Area Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. (Iowa Telecom) and Wellman Cooperative Telephone Association (Wellman). Iowa Telecom and Wellman seek a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to transfer a small area from Iowa Telecom's existing Iowa study area to Wellman's existing Iowa study area. Wellman also requests a waiver of section 54.305 of the Commission's rules so that it may receive universal service support for the acquired line in the same manner as its existing lines, and Wellman seeks a waiver of the average schedule company definition so that it may continue to operate as an average schedule company after the transfer.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

12/22/09Georgia PSC High-Cost Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by the Georgia Public Service Commission for waiver of the October 1, 2009 certification deadline for high-cost funds.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

12/15/09Qwest II- Tenth Circuit Remand Order: The Commission released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in response to the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Tenth Circuit) in Qwest II, in which the court remanded the Commission's rules for providing high-cost universal service support to non-rural carriers. Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: Word | PDF | text

11/12/09Local Switching Support: On October 7, 2009, the Commission released the following Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the effect of line loss on high-cost universal service support received pursuant to the Local Switching Support mechanism: High-Cost Universal Service Support, WC Docket No. 05-337, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 09-89 (rel. Oct. 7, 2009) (Local Switching Support One-Way Rule NPRM) The Commission set the comment and reply comment deadlines for this Notice as 14 and 21 days, respectively, after publication of the summary of the Notice in the Federal Register. On November 10, 2009, a summary of the Notice appeared in the Federal Register. Accordingly, comments will be due on November 24, 2009, and reply comments will be due on December 1, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

10/9/09Local Switching Support Order and NPRM: In this order and NPRM the Commission denies the Coalition for Equity in Switching Support's petition seeking clarification that the Commission's rules allow an incumbent LEC ETC's local switching support (LSS) to increase if the carrier's access lines decrease below those thresholds. In the NPRM the Commission tentatively concludes that the LSS rules should be modified to permit incumbent LEC ETCs that lose lines to increase their LSS and seeks comment on these proposed rule changes.
Order and NPRM: Word | PDF | text

10/02/09Centennial PRTC ICLS: In this order, the Bureau denies the request of Centennial Communications Corp. for reversal of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to recover universal service interstate common line support (ICLS) from Centennial. As a result of USAC's retroactive downward adjustment to Puerto Rico Telephone Company's (PRTC) ICLS for 2004 and 2005, USAC retroactively reduced Centennial's ICLS for the same period due to the identical support rule contained in section 54.307(a)(1) of the Commission rules. PRTC is the incumbent local exchange carrier in Puerto Rico. Centennial claims that USAC's decision to recover a portion of Centennial's ICLS was inappropriate because it was based on PRTC's late-filed data. The Bureau finds that USAC acted properly and within its authority to adjust Centennial's ICLS payments pursuant to the requirements in section 54.307(a)(1) of the Commission's rules. Order: Word | PDF | text

8/10/09Panora Communications Cooperative and Prairie Telephone Co., Inc. Study Area Waiver Petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition filed by Panora Communications Cooperative (Panora) and Prairie Telephone Co., Inc. (Prairie) for waiver of the Commission's study area boundary freeze. Specifically, Panora and Prairie seek a waiver to remove 35 access lines from Prairie's Iowa study area and include those access lines in Panora's Iowa study area. Comments are due September 9, 2009, and reply comments are due September 24, 2009. Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

8/10/09General Communications, Inc. High-Cost Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by General Communications, Inc. for waiver of the December 30, 2008 and March 30, 2009 line count filing deadlines for high-cost support. Comments are due September 9, 2009, and reply comments are due September 24, 2009. Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

7/21/09Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc., a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier, seeking to receive universal service high-cost support based on the own-costs exception in the Commission's Interim Cap Order. The Bureau also issued a protective order for any parties that want to review Advantage Cellular's cost information, for which it seeks confidential treatment. Comments on the request are due August 20, 2009, and reply comments are due September 4, 2009. Public Notice: Word | PDF | text Protective Order: Word | PDF | text

6/10/09Centennial Communications Corp.: The Wireline Competition Bureau denies a request filed by Centennial Communications Corp. for waivers of the September 30, 2005, June 30, 2006, and June 30, 2007, filing deadlines for universal service Interstate Access Support (IAS) set forth in section 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules. Centennial argues that it was confused by the language in its Louisiana ETC designation order, which was granted in March 2004, and therefore did not file IAS annual certifications or line counts until February 2008. Centennial seeks a waiver to permit it to receive IAS funds for the first and second quarters of 2008, and a further waiver to permit it to receive retroactive payments beginning October 1, 2005 through the end of 2007. The order provides that even though we deny Centennial's request for waiver, the amount of IAS that Centennial would have been able to receive in March 2008 if it had not missed the filing deadlines will be included in the capped level of support available to competitive ETCs in Louisiana pursuant to the Commission's Interim Cap Order.
Order: Word | PDF | text

6/8/09Virginia Cellular ETC Relinquishment Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau accepts the relinquishment of the eligible telecommunications carrier designation of Virginia Cellular, LLC in the Williamsville wire center in the study area of MGW Telephone Company in Virginia.
Order: Word | PDF | Text

6/5/09Accipiter/Qwest Joint Petition for Study Area Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition filed by Accipiter and Qwest for a study area waiver in Arizona. On April 30, 2009, Accipiter Communication, Inc. d/b/a Zona Communications (Accipiter) and Qwest Corporation (Qwest) filed a joint petition for waiver of the study area boundary freeze as codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. The requested waiver would permit Accipiter and Qwest to exchange territories and add those exchanged territories to their existing study areas in Arizona. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

6/5/09WorldNet Telecommunications, Inc. Request for Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by WorldNet Telecommunications, Inc., a CETC in Puerto Rico, for waiver of the December 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS). Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

6/5/09Long Lines and OTZ High-Cost Waiver Requests: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on: (i) a request by Long Lines Wireless, LLC for waiver of the September 30, 2008 line count filing deadlines for High-Cost Model Support and Interstate Access Support (IAS); and (ii) a request by OTZ Telecommunications, Inc. for waiver of the December 30, 2008 and March 30, 2009 line count filing deadlines for high cost support. Comments are due July 6, 2009 and reply comments are due July 20, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

5/6/09DTS NECA and Universal Service Support Waiver Petition: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by DTS of California seeking a waiver to allow DTS to become a member of the National Exchange Carrier Association and to immediately receive universal service high-cost loop support initially based on its forecasted costs rather than its historical costs. Comments are due June 5, 2009 and reply comments are due June 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

5/4/09Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Posting of Cost Model: The Wireline Competition Bureau announces that the publicly-available version of the High-Cost Proxy Model on the FCC's website has been updated to work with the Commission's current computer operating systems (Microsoft Windows XP Operating System, Service Pack 2 or greater, and Microsoft Office Suite 2003, Service Pack 3 or greater).
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

4/21/09Northeast Iowa High-Cost Waiver Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request by ICORE, Inc. on behalf of Northeast Iowa Telephone Company for a waiver of the data submission reporting deadline for local switching universal service support.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/21/09Xfone High-Cost Waiver Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants in part and denies in part a request filed by Xfone USA, Inc. for waivers of high-cost universal service support filing deadlines.
Order: Word | PDF | text

4/9/09Corr Wireless Request for Review: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on Corr Wireless Communication's (Corr) request for review of a decision by the Universal Service Administrative Corporation (USAC). Corr challenges USAC's failure to include universal service high-cost support funds disclaimed by ALLTEL and Verizon in connection with their merger last year in the pool of funds available for distribution under the competitive eligible telecommunications carrier interim cap on high-cost universal service support. Comments are due May 11, 2009 and reply comments are due May 26, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

4/8/09High Cost Non-Rural Support Notice of Inquiry: The Commission seeks to refresh the record regarding the issues raised by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Tenth Circuit) in the Qwest II decision. In that decision the Tenth Circuit invalidated the Commission's high-cost universal service support mechanism for non-rural carriers, which determines the amount of support to be provided to each state by comparing the statewide average forward-looking cost per line for non-rural carriers to a nationwide cost benchmark. Comments are due by May 8, 2009 and reply comments are due by June 8, 2009.
Notice of Inquiry: Word | PDF | text

4/3/09Cellular Properties, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Cellular Properties, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Illinois Commerce Commission to redefine the service area of Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company. Comments on the petition are due by May 4, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 19, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

4/3/09Cellular Properties, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Cellular Properties, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Illinois Commerce Commission to redefine the service area of Wabash Telephone Cooperative Inc. Comments on the petition are due by May 4, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 19, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/30/09Minerva Valley Telephone Company: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Minerva Telephone Company, an ILEC in Iowa, for waiver of the June 30, 2008 annual certification filing deadline for Interstate Common Line Support (ICLS). This petition does not affect the amount of support available to competitive ETCs pursuant to the Interim Cap Order because it does not affect support received in March 2008. Comments are due by April 29, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 14, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/19/09Coalition for Equity in Switching Support: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Coalition for clarification of sections 36.125 and 54.301 of the Commission's rules. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/19/09Midstate Telecom, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Midstate Telecom, Inc. seeking waiver of filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service funds, pursuant to sections 54.307(c) and 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/19/09Hargray Telephone Company High-Cost Waivers: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by Hargray Telephone Company, a South Carolina ILEC, for waiver of the October 1, 2006 and October 1, 2007 projected-data filing deadlines for local switching support (LSS). Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/19/09General Communication, Inc. Declaratory Ruling Regarding CETC Wireless Lines: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by GCI for a declaratory ruling finding that its wireless subsidiaries in Alaska: (i) are correctly reporting prepaid wireless lines based on a local address or point of sale address; and (ii) are correctly reporting wireless business lines based on the address to which a service invoice is sent rather than a separate or third-party address from where payments are processed. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/19/09T-Mobile USA, Inc.: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request by T-Mobile for a waiver of the December 30, 2008 line count filing deadline to allow it to receive universal service high-cost support. This petition does not affect the amount of support available to competitive ETCs pursuant to the Interim Cap Order because it does not affect support received in March 2008. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/19/09Centennial Communications Corp. Interim Cap Data Deadline Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Centennial and its subsidiaries seeking a waiver of the December 31, 2008 deadline for submitting to Universal Service Administrative Company changes to the March 2008 data on which interim universal service high-cost capped support is based. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/19/09Eagle Telephone System, Inc. and Midvale Telephone Exchange, Incorporated Study Area Waiver: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Eagle and Midvale. Eagle and Midvale seek a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to remove territory from Midvale's Idaho study area and recognize such territory as part of Eagle's Oregon study area. Comments are due by April 20, 2009 and reply comments are due by May 5, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/13/09Leaco Rural Telephone Cooperative Redefinition:The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Leaco Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc., pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural local exchange carriers. Comments are due by April 13, 2009 and reply comments are due by April 28, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

3/5/09Competitive ETC Interim Cap Alaska Native Regions/Tribal Lands Exception Waiver Order: The Commission waives on its own motion the limitation on the availability of uncapped high-cost universal service support for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) serving tribal lands or Alaska Native regions (Covered Locations). Specifically, for the period in which the interim cap is in effect, the Commission waives the restriction in paragraph 33 of the Interim Cap Order limiting the availability of uncapped per line support to competitive ETCs serving Covered Locations "to one payment per each residential account."
Order: Word | PDF | text

2008

12/29/08South Dakota Commission Service Area Redefinition Proceeding Public Notice: Pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, the Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice that it is initiating a proceeding to consider a redefinition of service area petition filed by the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission. Comments on the proceeding are due January 28, 2009 and reply comments are due February 12, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

12/15/08Alltel Communications, Inc., et al.: The Wireline Competition Bureau amends certain ETC designations granted in the Interim Cap Order. The Bureau amends the ETC designation of New York RSA 2 Cellular Partnership, limiting the designation to the 13 wire centers requested; grants designation to St. Lawrence Seaway Cellular Partnership in 9 wire centers in the study area of Citizens Telecommunications of New York d/b/a Frontier Communications; and accepts the relinquishment of the designation of Dobson Cellular Systems Inc. and American Cellular Corp. in the state of New York.
Order: Word | PDF | text

12/10/082009 Modification of Average Schedule Universal Service Support Formulas: Each year, the Commission must review and approve or modify any proposed modifications to the formulas used to calculate universal service high-cost loop support and local switching support for average schedule companies. The high-cost loop and local switching support formulas are proposed by NECA and USAC, respectively. The Commission's rules require that these formulas simulate the disbursements that would be received by a company that is representative of average schedule companies. The formulas proposed for 2009 are consistent with the methods we have approved in previous years.
Order: Word | PDF | text

12/10/08Competitive ETC March 2008 Capped High-Cost Support: The Wireline Competition Bureau provides notice that competitive ETCs should confirm their March 2008 universal service high-cost support amount information with USAC and file any corrections on or before December 31, 2008. To provide certainty regarding the amount of high-cost support available to competitive ETCs under the cap in each state, after December 31, 2008, USAC will not accept changes from competitive ETCs regarding the data on which their March 2008 high-cost support is based, absent grant of a waiver of this deadline by the Commission.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

12/08/08Virgin Islands Telephone Corporation: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Virgin Islands Telephone Corporation (Vitelco) on November 21, 2008, seeking waiver of sections 32.2000(g)(2)(ii) and 36.621 of the Commission's rules to address these rules' effect on Vitelco's receipt of universal service high-cost loop support. Comments on the petition are due January 7, 2009, and reply comments are due January 22, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

12/04/08Worldcall Interconnect, Inc.: WCB seeks comment on an ETC designation petition filed by Worldcall Interconnect, Inc. for two counties in New York. Comments are due January 5, 2009, and reply comments are due January 21, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

12/04/08Open Mobile: WCB seeks comment on a request by PRWireless, Inc. (d/b/a Open Mobile) for waiver of the March 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for ICLS. PRWireless is an ETC in Puerto Rico. Comments are due January 5, 2009, and reply comments are due January 21, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

12/04/08Filing Deadline Waiver Requests: WCB seeks comment on: (i) a request by FiberNet LLC for waiver of the June 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for IAS; and (ii) a request by CommuniGroup of Jackson, Inc. for waiver of the of the September 30, 2008 line count filing deadline for IAS, HCLS and HCMS. Comments are due January 5, 2009, and reply comments are due January 21, 2009.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

12/03/08Hopi Telecommunications, Inc.: WCB seeks comment on (i) a request by Hopi Telecommunications, Inc. for waiver of the October 1, 2008 annual certification for ICLS; and (ii) a request by Etex Telephone Cooperative for waiver of the October 1, 2008 projected-data filing deadline for LSS.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | text

11/6/08Commission Responds to D.C. Circuit Mandamus and Joint Board Recommended Decision and Seeks Further Comment on Comprehensive Reform: The Commission addresses compensation rates for ISP-bound traffic, declines to adopt the Joint Board's recommendations for reforming distribution of high-cost universal service support, and seeks further comment on comprehensive universal service and intercarrier compensation reform. Comments will be due 14 days after publication in the Federal Register, and reply comments will be due 21 days after Federal Register publication.
Order: Word | PDF
Martin Statement: Word | PDF
Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell Joint Statement: Word | PDF

10/22/08HTC Services, Inc.
Wireline Competition Bureau denies a petition by HTC for a waiver of the filing deadlines in section 54.802(a) of the Commission rules.
Order: Word | PDF

10/6/08National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc., (NECA) and Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC)
Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on NECA's and USAC's proposed modifications to universal service high-cost loop and local switching support formulas, respectively, for average schedule companies. Pursuant to Commission rules, each year NECA and USAC submit modifications to these formulas. The proposed formulas, if approved, will be effective January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009. Comments are due November 5, 2008 and reply comments are due November 20, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF

9/17/08Ballard Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation, Inc. and HTC Communications, LLC: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions for waiver of universal service high-cost filing deadlines submitted by Ballard Rural Telephone Cooperative Corporation, Inc. and HTC Communications, LLC of the Commission's rules. Comments are due October 17, 2008, and reply comments are due November 3, 2008.

8/27/08Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. And Qwest Corporation: In this order, WCB grants Sacred Wind's request to extend the timing of our previously granted waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612, permitting Sacred Wind to receive immediate high-cost loop support based on projected costs, subject to true-up, to the end of 2008. Sacred Wind requests this extension because approval of the transaction by the New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission was delayed until December 15, 2006, which resulted in only 15 days of network costs during calendar year 2006 (actual costs for 2006 are the basis for 2008 high-cost support payments).

8/22/08WCB Seeks Agreement with Study Area Redefinitions: In its May 1, 2008 Interim Cap Order, the Commission redefined the service areas of several rural telephone companies in New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia. Pursuant to section 54.207(d) of the Commission's rules, the Wireline Competition Bureau sent the order to the respective state commissions seeking their agreement with the redefinitions.
New York letter: PDF | Text
North Carolina letter: PDF | Text
Pennsylvania letter: PDF | Text
Tennessee letter: PDF | Text
Virginia letter: PDF | Text

8/12/08United States Cellular Corporation
The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by United States Cellular Corporation to amend its eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in Tennessee. Comments are due September 11, 2008 and reply comments are due September 26, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF

8/7/08Virgin Mobile USA, L.P.
The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable's motion for a 21-day extension of the deadlines for filing comments and reply comments in response to Virgin Mobile's petition seeking limited eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in Massachusetts. Comments are due August 21, 2008 and reply comments are due September 5, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF

8/1/08Mid-Com Request for Review Public Notice: Mid-Communications, Inc. (Mid-Com) requests review of a decision by USAC to adjust Mid-Com's local switching support retroactively for calendar year 2006. Comments on the request are due September 2, 2008, and reply comments are due September 17, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text

7/28/08NEP Cellcorp ETC Public Notice: NEP Cellcorp, Inc. (NEP) asks the Commission to amend its decision to deny NEP's request for eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in the rural study area of North-Eastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company. Comments are due August 27, 2008 and reply comments are due September 11, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text

7/1/08Virgin Mobile Massachusetts ETC Petition Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. (Virgin Mobile) for a limited designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in Massachusetts. Virgin Mobile is seeking eligibility for Lifeline universal service support only. Comments on the petition are due July 31, 2008 and reply comments are due August 15, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF | Text

6/17/08Public Notice: Northwest Iowa Telephone Company: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Northwest Iowa Telephone Company for waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.301(e)(1) of the Commission's rules for receipt of universal service support. Comments on the petition are due July 17, 2008 and reply comments are due August 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF

6/6/08Public Notice: Palmerton/Northeastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company Waiver Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Palmerton Telephone Company and Northeastern Pennsylvania Telephone Company for waiver of a filing deadline required by section 54.301(e)(1) of the Commission's rules for receipt of universal service funds. Comments are due July 7, 2008, and reply comments are due July 22, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | PDF

5/22/08Public Notice: The Bureau seeks comment on two petitions filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P., seeking eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designation in North Carolina and Tennessee. Virgin Mobile is seeking limited eligibility for Lifeline universal service support only. Comments are due June 23, 2008, and reply comments are due July 8, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

5/16/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. (Sacred Wind) to extend its previously received waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612 of the Commission's rules. The Commission previously granted Sacred Wind a waiver of these rule sections to allow it to immediately receive universal service high-cost loop support. Comments are due June 16, 2008, and reply comments are due July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

5/16/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a joint petition for waiver filed by Dubois Telephone Exchange, Inc. (Dubois) and Qwest Corporation (Qwest). Dubois and Qwest seek a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to transfer an unserved portion of Qwest's Wyoming study area to Dubois's Wyoming study area. Comments are due June 16, 2008, and reply comments are due July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

5/16/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a request filed by ETS Telephone Company, Inc. (ETS), f/k/a Kingsgate Telephone, Inc., regarding potential retroactive application of the Commission's 2004 Skyline Order to ETS's Texas study area. ETS requests confirmation that the Skyline Order does not have retroactive effect on its study area. Comments are due June 16, 2008, and reply comments are due July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

5/16/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions for waiver of filing deadlines associated with receipt of universal service high-cost support filed by iBroadband Networks, Inc. d/b/a Cedar Valley Communications and HTC Services Inc. Comments are due June 16, 2008, and reply comments are due July 1, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

5/16/08Order: In this Order, WCB extends the deadline for filing reply comments in response to the three High-Cost NPRMs from May 19, 2008, to June 2, 2008.
Order: Word | Acrobat

5/2/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by the Kansas Corporation Commission for a declaratory ruling affirming the lawfulness of its procedure for certifying carriers' receipt of federal universal service support. The Kansas Corporation Commission filed its petition in response to a primary jurisdiction referral by the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas. Comments on the petition are due by June 2, 2008 and reply comments are due by June 17, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

5/1/08Order: FCC Takes Action to Cap High Cost Support Under the Universal Service Fund.

4/21/08Order: The Wire Competition Bureau granted three separate requests for waiver filed by the Illinois Commerce Commission, Farmers Mutual Telephone Company, and the Wyoming Public Service Commission, of the high-cost universal service support filing deadlines set forth in sections 54.313(d) and 54.314(d) of the Commission's rules.
Order: Word | Acrobat

3/4/08Public Notice: Comment cycles were established for the Identical Support Rule NPRM, the Reverse Auctions NPRM, and the Joint Board Comprehensive Reform NPRM. Comments are due April 3, 2008, and reply comments are due May 5, 2008. Parties may consolidate their comments and reply comments for the three NPRMs.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

2/8/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on petitions filed by Saddleback Communications and Gila River Telecommunications, Inc., seeking waivers of the October 1, 2006, filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service funds pursuant to section 54.209 of the Commission's rules. Comments on the petitions are due February 25, 2008, and reply comments are due March 3, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

2/8/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Thumb Cellular, LLC (Thumb Cellular) seeking review and reversal of a decision of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) regarding the results of a 2007 Improper Payment Improvement Act (IPIA) audit of the high-cost support received by Thumb Cellular during the period October 1, 2004 through September 30, 2005. Comments are due March 10, 2008 and reply comments on or before March 24, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

1/29/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by USCOC of Greater Missouri, LLC d/b/a U.S. Cellular, pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Missouri Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

1/28/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by TracFone Wireless, Inc. seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), only for purposes of participating in the Lifeline program, in the District of Columbia. Comments are due February 27, 2008 and reply comments on or before March 13, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

1/18/08Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau extends the deadline for filing reply comments in response to Osirus Communications, Inc.'s petition seeking to become a member of the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), to participate in NECA tariffs and pools, and to begin immediately to receive universal service high-cost support. Reply comments are due February 1, 2008.
Order: Word | Acrobat

1/18/08Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) provides notice that it is initiating a proceeding to consider a petition filed by United States Cellular Corporation (U.S. Cellular), pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

1/8/08Order: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau denies Cedar Valley Communications, Inc.'s request for a waiver of a line count filing deadline to allow Cedar Valley to receive universal service high-cost loop support after missing the filing deadline by more than five months.
Order: Word | Acrobat

2007

12/26/07Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Allo Communications, seeking waiver of the September 28, 2007, filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service support pursuant to section 54.802 of the Commission's rules. Comments on the petition are due by January 25, 2008, and reply comments are due by February 11, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

12/26/07Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau released a Public Notice initiating a proceeding to consider USCOC of Greater Missouri, LLC d/b/a U.S. Cellular's petition for redefinition of certain rural telephone company study areas in the state of Missouri. Comments in the proceeding are due by January 25, 2008, and reply comments are due by February 11, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

12/20/07Order: In this order, the Wireline Competition Bureau approves NECA's and USAC's proposed 2008 high-cost loop and local switching support formulas for providing universal service support to average schedule companies.
Order: Word | Acrobat

12/13/07Public Notice: Virgin Mobile: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on four petitions filed by Virgin Mobile USA, L.P. (Virgin Mobile). One petition requests that the Commission forbear from applying the requirement in section 214(e)(1)(A) of the Act that an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) offer services supported by the universal service fund using either its own facilities or a combination of its own facilities and resale of another carrier's services. In the remaining three petitions, Virgin Mobile seeks designation as an ETC, only for purposes of participation in the Lifeline/Link Up program, in the state of New York and the commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia. Comments are due January 14, 2008 and reply comments are due January 29, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

12/13/07Public Notice: TracFone: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions filed by TracFone Wireless, Inc. seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), only for purposes of participating in the Lifeline program, in the states of Delaware and New Hampshire. Comments are due January 14, 2008 and reply comments are due January 29, 2008.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

12/12/07Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau released an order granting a request from Bristol Bay Cellular Partnership (Bristol Bay), a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier in Alaska, for a waiver of section 54.307(b) of the Commission's rules. Specifically, due to the unique circumstances presented by Bristol Bay, the order waives the requirement that subscriber line count data submitted for purposes of obtaining universal service support be based on the subscriber's billing address.
Order: Word | Acrobat

12/4/07Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Osirus Communications, Inc., seeking waiver of Commission rules to allow it to join the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) and to receive immediate universal service support. Comments are due January 3, 2008 and reply comments are due January 18, 2008.
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11/29/07Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by CC Cellular, seeking waiver of the March 30, 2007, filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service funds pursuant to sections 54.307(c)(4) of the Commission's rules. Interested parties may file comments on or before December 29, 2007 and reply comments on or before January 13, 2008.
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11/29/07Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Hargray Wireless, LLC, pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the South Carolina Public Service Commission to redefine the service area of United Telephone Company of the Carolinas d/b/a Embarq at the wire center level. Interested parties may file comments on or before December 29, 2007 and reply comments on or before January 13, 2008.
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11/26/07Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau released a Public Notice initiating a proceeding to consider Triangle Communication System, Inc.'s petition for redefinition of certain rural telephone company study areas in the state of Montana. Comments in the proceeding are due by December 26, 2007, and reply comments are due by January 10, 2008.
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11/9/2007Public Notice: Comment is sought on petitions filed by Saddleback Communications, Gila River Telecommunications, Inc., and Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. seeking waivers of the October 1, 2007, deadline for Commission-designated eligible telecommunications carriers to file annual reports pursuant to section 54.209 of the Commission's rules. Comments are due by November 23, 2007 and reply comments are due by November 30, 2007. 11/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

11/6/2007Public Notice: Comment is sought on a petition filed by Texas RSA 8 South Limited Partnership d/b/a Westex Wireless seeking waiver of filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service funds, pursuant to sections 54.307(c)(2), 54.802(a), and 54.903(a) of the Commission's rules. Comments are due by December 6, 2007 and reply comments are due by December 21, 2007. 11/6/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

10/22/2007Public Notice: TCA High-Cost Waiver Petition: Comment is sought on a petition by The Community Cable Television Agency of O'Brien County d/b/a The Community Agency and TCA (TCA) seeking wavier of the December 31, 2006, filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal service funds pursuant to sections 54.307 and 54.802 of the Commission's rules. Comments are due by November 21, 2007 and reply comments are due by December 6, 2007. 10/22/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

10/22/2007Public Notice: United States Cellular Redefinition: Comment is sought on a petition filed by United States Cellular requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Nebraska Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies in Nebraska at the wire center level. Comments are due by November 21, 2007 and reply comments are due by December 6, 2007. 10/22/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

10/5/2007Public Notice: Comment is sought on the National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc.'s 2008 modification of average schedule universal service high-cost loop support formula, and on the Universal Service Administrative Company's 2008 average schedule company local switching support formula. Comments are due November 5, 2007 and reply comments are due November 20, 2007. 10/5/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

10/5/2007Public Notice: Comment is sought on the petition for study area waiver filed jointly by Beaver Creek Cooperative Telephone Company and Qwest Corporation. Comments on the petition are due November 5, 2007 and reply comments are due November 20, 2007. 10/5/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

9/27/2007Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a high-cost filing deadline waiver petition filed by Dixie-Net Communications, Inc. Dixie-Net is seeking a waiver of the June 30, 2007 filing deadline required by section 54.802 of the Commission's rules. Comments on the petition are due October 29, 2007 and reply comments are due November 13, 2007. 9/27/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

9/27/2007Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by USCOC of Greater Missouri, Inc. d/b/a U.S. Cellular requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Missouri Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies in Missouri at the wire center level. Comments on the petition are due October 29, 2007 and reply comments are due November 13, 2007. 9/27/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

9/20/2007Order: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division adopted a protective order to provide limited access to confidential information in Centennial USVI Operations Corp.'s petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 9/20/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

9/20/2007Order: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division adopted a protective order to provide limited access to confidential information in Choice Communications LLC's petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the U.S. Virgin Islands. 9/20/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/30/2007Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Decatur Telephone Company seeking waiver of the June 30, 2007, filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service funds pursuant to section 54.904 of the Commission's rules. Comments on the petition are due October 1, 2007 and reply comments are due October 15, 2007. 8/30/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/29/2007Public Notice: Triangle Communication Redefinition: The Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB) seeks comment on a petition filed by Triangle Communication System Inc. requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Montana Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies in Montana at the wire center level. Comments on the petition are due September 28, 2007 and reply comments are due October 15, 2007. 8/29/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/16/2007Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by ICORE, Inc. on behalf of Pattersonville Telephone Company, seeking waiver of the June 30, 2007 filing deadline associated with the receipt of interstate common line support universal service funds pursuant to section 54.903 of the Commission's rules. Comments on the petition are due September 17, 2007 and reply comments are due October 2, 2007. 8/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/15/2007Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on two petitions seeking eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) designations. One petition was filed by NEP Cellcorp, Inc., which is seeking ETC designation in Pennsylvania, and the other was filed by Corr Wireless Communications LLC, which is seeking ETC designation in Alabama. Comments on the petitions are due August 29, 2007 and reply comments are due September 5, 2007. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/13/2007Order: In this order, Telecommunications Access Policy Divisuion grants Sagebrush Cellular, Inc. (Sagebrush) a waiver of the certification filing deadline in section 54.904(d) of the Commission's rules to allow Sagebrush to receive Interstate Common Line Support from the date of its ETC designation. 8/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/8/2007Public Notice: In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a study area waiver petition filed by Qwest. Qwest seeks a waiver of the study area boundary freeze to allow it to transfer a territory in Wyoming to RT Communications. Comments on the petition are due September 7, 2007, and reply comments are due September 24, 2007. 8/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/6/2007Order: The Commission denied a petition filed by Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. requesting that the Commission forbear from enforcing certain sections of the Commission's rules to permit Iowa Telecom to be eligible for high-cost universal service support under the non-rural mechanism, rather than under the high-cost loop support mechanism for rural carriers. 8/6/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/1/2007Public Notice: In this Public Notice, comment is sought on two petitions for waiver of universal service line count filing rules, filed by Vantage Point and WeavTel Communications LLC. Comments on the petitions are due August 31, 2007, and reply comments are due September 17, 2007. 8/1/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

8/1/2007Order: This order grants Centennial Communications Corp.'s request to extend the reply comment deadline on its request for review and reversal of a decision by USAC regarding the "true-up" of interstate common line support (ICLS) universal service payments disbursed to Centennial Puerto Rico in 2004. The deadline for filing reply comments is extended from August 13, 2007 to August 31, 2007. 8/1/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

7/9/2007Public Notice: Comment is sought on a petition filed by TDS, FairPoint, and Burke's Garden Telephone Company, seeking revocation of Sprint/Nextel's ETC designation in Virginia. Comments on the petition are due August 8, 2007, and reply comments are due August 23, 2007. 7/9/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

6/27/2007Public Notice: Comment sought on Centennial Communications Corp.'s request for review of a USAC decision regarding the true-up of interstate common line support universal service payments for Puerto Rico in 2004. Comments on the request for review are due July 27, 2007, and reply comments are due August 13, 2007. 6/27/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

6/19/2007Public Notice: The Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on six petitions seeking waivers of various filing requirements associated with the receipt of universal service support pursuant to the Commission's rules. The petitions were filed by the Illinois Commerce Commission; Pine Cellular Phones, Inc.; Grande Communications Network, Inc.; Range Telephone Cooperative, Inc.; Prairie Wave Black Hills, L.L.C.; and Farmers Mutual Telephone Company. Comments on the petitions are due July 19, 2007 and reply comments are due August 3, 2007. 6/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

6/19/2007Public Notice: The Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on petitions for waiver of section 36.611 and 36.612 of the Commission's rules filed by Allband Communications Cooperative and Direct Communications Cedar Valley. Comments on the petitions are due July 19, 2007 and reply comments are due August 3, 2007. 6/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

6/19/2007Public Notice: The Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on a petition for study area waiver filed by El Paso Telephone Company and Qwest Corporation. Comments on the petition are due July 19, 2007 and reply comments are due August 3, 2007. 6/19/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

6/12/2007Order: On June 12, 2007, the Commission released an order granting an extension of time for parties to file reply comments in response to the May 14, 2007 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which sought comment on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service's recommendation that the Commission adopt an interim, emergency cap on high-cost universal service support for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers. The reply comment date is changed from June 13, 2007, to June 21, 2007. 6/12/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

5/23/2007Public Notice: On May 14, 2007, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, seeking comment on the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service's recommendation that the Commission adopt an interim, emergency cap on high-cost universal service support for competitive eligible telecommunications carriers. The Commission set the comment and reply comment deadlines as 14 and 21 days, respectively, after publication of the Notice in the Federal Register. On May 23, 2007, a summary of the Notice appeared in the Federal Register. Accordingly, comments will be due on June 6, 2007, and reply comments will be due on June 13, 2007. 5/23/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

5/14/2007Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (Notice), we seek comment on the recommendation of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service (Joint Board) that the Commission take immediate action to rein in the explosive growth in high-cost universal service support disbursements. Specifically, we seek comment on the Joint Board's recommendation that the Commission impose an interim, emergency cap on the amount of high-cost support that competitive eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs) may receive. The Joint Board also recommended that both it and the Commission further explore comprehensive high-cost distribution reform, and sought comment on various reform proposals in a Public Notice released on the same day as the Recommended Decision. 5/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

4/25/2007Public Notice: Public Notice seeks comment on a petition for declaratory ruling and preemption of a Texas PUC order filed by a group of rural carriers. The petitioners request that the Commission issue a declaratory ruling affirming that rooftop or pole-mounted antenna used with fixed satellite service and mobile handset and accessories used with mobile satellite service do not satisfy the "facilities" requirement of sec. 214(e) of the Act. The petitioners also seek an order preempting the Texas PUC's designation of DialToneServices (DTS) as an ETC, because DTS does not meet section 214(e)'s facilities requirement. Comments on the petition are due May 25, 2007, and reply comments are due June 11, 2007. 4/25/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

4/6/2007Order: In this order, pursuant to section 10(c) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act), the Wireline Competition Bureau extend by 90 days the date by which the petition requesting forbearance filed by Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc. (Iowa Telecom) shall be deemed granted in the absence of a Commission decision that the petition fails to meet the standards for forbearance under section 10(a) of the Act. 4/6/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

4/3/2007Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant a joint request from SRT Communications, Inc. (SRT) and North Dakota Telephone Company (NDTC) (collectively, the Petitioners) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. This waiver will permit NDTC to remove the Velva exchange comprising approximately 720 lines from its North Dakota study area and will permit SRT to add that exchange to its existing North Dakota study area. We also grant SRT's request for waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission's rules so that it can include the acquired exchange in the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) common line tariff. 4/3/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

3/29/2007Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grant Cellular South's petition for waiver of sections 54.904(d) of the Commission's rules to enable Cellular South to receive Interstate Common Line Support as of its ETC designation date. Specifically, Cellular South seeks waiver of a filing deadline that occurred prior to its ETC designation date. We find that Cellular South has demonstrated good cause to grant this waiver. 3/29/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

3/26/2007Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) seeks comment on a petition filed by Missouri RSA No. 5 Partnership pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 54.207 requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC) to redefine the study areas of four rural telephone companies at the wire center level. 3/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

3/16/2007Order: The National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) files annually a proposed formula for calculating high-cost loop support for average schedule members of the common line pool. The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) issued orders modifying each of NECA's proposed formulas for the years 2000 through 2005. In turn, NECA filed Applications for Review (Applications) or Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) of each of the Bureau orders, requesting in each instance that the Commission or the Bureau adopt NECA's preferred formula. 3/16/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

3/14/2007Order: On May 19, 2005, GTA Wireless, LLC (GTA), filed a Petition for Designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier (Petition) in the above-captioned proceeding. In its Petition, GTA sought designation as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier throughout the Territory of Guam, pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. On October 3, 2006, Pulse Mobile, LLC, formerly GTA, submitted a request to withdraw the Petition. We grant the GTA request for withdrawal. 3/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

3/14/2007Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grant in part and deny in part a petition by Corr Wireless Communications, LLC (Corr), an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), for waiver of certain filing deadlines set forth in sections 54.313(d)(3) and 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules. 3/14/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

3/13/2007Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau deny three separate requests for waiver filed by three eligible telecommunications carriers - NPI-Omnipoint Wireless, LLC, SouthEast Telephone, Inc., and SEI Data, Inc. - of certain filing deadlines required for receipt of high-cost universal support service as set forth in sections 54.307(c), 54.802(a), 54.809(c), and 54.903 of the Commission's rules. 3/13/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

3/12/2007Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau dismiss as moot the request of the Telecommunications Regulatory Board of Puerto Rico (Puerto Rico Board) for clarification or, in the alternative, waiver of section 54.311(b) of the Commission's rules. 3/12/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

2/12/2007Public Notice : In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Dobson Cellular Systems Inc. and American Cellular Corporation pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Oklahoma Corporation Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies in Oklahoma at the wire center level. 2/12/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

2/8/2007Order : In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant a petition filed by Smith Bagley, Inc. (SBI) seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) on the Navajo Reservation (Reservation) in Utah pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). 2/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

2/8/2007Order : In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau adopted a protective order granting limited access to Exhibit E of the Cingular petition for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 2/8/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

2/5/2007Order : In this Public Notice, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) extended the comment cycle for the Cingular ETC petition for designation in Georgia. Comments are due February 20 and replies due February 27. 2/5/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/31/2007Order : In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant Hopi Telecommunications, Inc.'s (Hopi) request to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) on the Hopi Reservation and on a small portion of the Navajo Reservation in Arizona [1] pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). Hopi, a tribally-owned wireline carrier, seeks ETC designation in the study area where it purchased three local exchanges of CenturyTel of the Southwest (CenturyTel), a rural incumbent local exchange, to provide telecommunications services to areas, including underserved and unserved areas, on tribal lands. Applying the Commission's two-step analysis for ETC designations for tribal lands, we first conclude that the Commission has jurisdiction to determine whether Hopi should be designated an eligible telecommunications carrier. We also conclude that Hopi has satisfied the statutory eligibility requirements of section 214(e)(1) to be designated an ETC on the Reservation in Arizona. 1/31/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/26/2007Order : In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant Pine Cellular Phones, Inc.'s petition for waiver of 54.307 of the Commission's rules. Pine Cellular, through its contractor, filed its data one day late. We find that Pine Cellular has demonstrated that there is good cause to grant its petition. 1/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/26/2007Order : In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant MTA Communications Inc. d/b/a MTA Wireless' (MTAW) petition for waiver of 54.314(d). MTAW was designated an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) prior to the 2005 amendment to 54.314 to allow newly designated ETCs to receive funding as of their designation date. We find that MTAW has demonstrated that there is good cause to grant its petition so it can receive funding as of its designation date. 1/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/26/2007Order : In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant the Kansas Corporation Commission's (Kansas Commission) petition for waiver of sections 54.313 and 54.314 of the Commission's rules. The Kansas Commission missed the deadline for filing the annual certification for a newly designated eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC). We find that the Kansas Commission has demonstrated that there is good cause to grant its petition and allow the ETC to receive support as of its designation date. 1/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/26/2007Order : In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant AT&amp;T Communications of NY and AT&amp;T Communications of California's (collectively, AT&amp;T) petition for waiver of 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules. AT&amp;T filed its line count data four days after the September 29, 2006 deadline. We find that AT&amp;T has demonstrated that there is good cause to grant its petition. 1/26/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/25/2007Public Notice : In this Public Notice, WCB seeks comment on the petition filed by Cingular Wireless, LLC seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in the state of Georgia pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. 1/25/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/18/2007Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau grant a request by NPCR, Inc. (NPCR), an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), for a waiver of section 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules. For the reasons set forth, we find that NPCR has demonstrated that good cause warrants granting this waiver. 1/18/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/09/2007Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau approves National Exchange Carrier Association's (NECA) proposed high-cost loop formula and Universal Service Administrative Company's (USAC) proposed local switching support formula. As we have done previously, we direct NECA and USAC to provide support to average schedule carriers consistent with this Order retroactive to January 1, 2007. 1/09/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

1/04/2007Public Notice: In this Public Notice, Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by American Cellular Corporation pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies in Minnesota at the wire center level. 1/04/07. Word | Acrobat| Text

2006

12/28/2006Order: In this Order, we grant the request of North River Telephone Cooperative (North River), an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in Virginia, for a waiver of the annual filing deadline set forth in section 54.904(d) of the Commission's rules. We find that North River has demonstrated good cause that warrants this waiver. 12/28/06. Word | Acrobat| Text

12/28/06Order: In this Order, we grant MCI's petition for waiver of sections 54.802(a) and 54.809(c) of the Commission's rules. MCI missed its annual certification and three quarterly line reports for interstate access support (IAS) during a time when it was transitioning from bankruptcy. We find that MCI has demonstrated good cause to grant this waiver: MCI's difficulties with emerging from bankruptcy and the impact of a loss of approximately $1.5 million in IAS funding. Word | Acrobat| Text

12/28/06Order: In this Order, we grant Mid-Tex's petition for waiver of section 54.314(d)(5) of the Commission's rules and deny Mid-Tex's petition for waiver of section 54.904 of the Commission's rules. We find that Mid-Tex's ETC designation date made it impossible for the state commission to file the high-cost use certification prior to the deadline in section 54.314(d)(5). We also find that Mid-Tex's confusion over the ICLS certification deadline in section 54.904 did not warrant a waiver. Word | Acrobat| Text

12/28/06Order: In this Order, we grant San Isabel's request for a waiver of various line count and certification filing deadline so that it may receive universal service support beginning immediately after its ETC designation date of December 30, 2002. We conclude that the missed deadlines were not the fault of San Isabel. We deny, however, San Isabel's request for waiver of the two line count filing deadlines that occurred after the date the state commission certified San Isabel (Sept 24, 2003). We find no reason why San Isabel could not have submitted those required filings. As a result, San Isabel will not be eligible for universal service support for the first and second quarters of 2004. In summary, the Order permits San Isabel to be eligible for universal service support from Jan 1, 2003 to Dec 31, 2003 and from July 1, 2004 and thereafter. Word | Acrobat| Text

12/19/06Order: In this Order, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) grants a petition by CenturyTel of Wisconsin, LLC and Telephone USA of Wisconsin, LLC (CenturyTel) for a waiver of the filing deadline in section 36.612(a)(3) of the Commission's rules for the receipt of safety valve support. The Bureau finds that CenturyTel has demonstrated that good cause warrants this waivers. In particular, the Bureau finds absent a waiver, CenturyTel would be denied SVS for an entire fiscal year which would undermine the Commission's USF policies to promote quality services available at just, reasonable and affordable rates. Word | Acrobat

11/27/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau extend the timing of the waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612 of the Commission's rules granted to Adak Eagle Enterprises, LLC d/b/a Adak Telephone Utility (Adak Telephone) in the Adak Order. The extension of this waiver will permit Adak Telephone, a new local exchange carrier (LEC) in Alaska, to receive high-cost loop support based on projected costs in 2006 and 2007, until its historical costs become available in 2008. We grant this extension on our own motion to permit Adak Telephone to continue receiving high-cost loop support without interruption, consistent with the Wireline Competition Bureau's (Bureau) intention in originally granting the waiver in the Adak Order.Word | Acrobat

11/22/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants an appeal filed by Thumb Cellular of a USAC decision denying it Interstate Common Line Support for the third quarter of 2003 because USAC determined that Thumb Cellular's FCC Form 507, which includes line count data, was received on March 31, 2003 - one day after USAC's calculated filing date. Among other things, the Bureau finds that USAC should have deemed the 507 forms filed on this day to be timely filed because the due date fell on a Sunday. In particular, under Section 1.4(j) of the Commission's rules, because March 30 was a Sunday, the document could have been filed on the next business day which was Monday, March 31, 2003.Word | Acrobat

10/25/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau conditionally grant a joint request from Rural Telephone Service Company, Inc. (RuralTel), Nex-Tech, Inc. (Nex-Tech), United Telephone Company of Kansas and United Telephone of Eastern Kansas (collectively, United) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. This waiver will permit United to remove twelve exchanges comprising approximately 5,400 lines from United's Kansas study areas. Consistent with the precedent established by the Commission in the Heart of Iowa Order, we allow Nex-Tech to transfer its competitive LEC lines to RuralTel's newly configured incumbent LEC study area on the condition that RuralTel treats Nex-Tech's former competitive LEC lines as if these lines were acquired from an unaffiliated carrier and subject to the provisions of section 54.305. We also grant RuralTel's request for waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission's rules so that RuralTel can include the acquired exchanges in the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) common line tariff.Word | Acrobat

10/25/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant a joint request from Gorham Telephone Company, Inc., (Gorham) and RuralTel for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. The study area waiver will permit RuralTel to remove two exchanges comprising approximately 272 access lines from its Kansas study area. The waiver also will permit Gorham to add these exchanges to its existing Kansas study area. We also grant Gorham a waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission's rules in order to allow it to continue to use the NECA as its tariff pool administrator.Word | Acrobat

10/18/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Comment on the 2007 Modification of Average Schedule Universal Service High-Cost Loop support Formula and the 2007 Average Schedule Company Local Switching Support Formula. Comment Date: November 11, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: November 8, 2006.Word | Acrobat

9/12/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the petition for waiver of the June 30, 2006 deadline for receipt of interstate access universal service support. We find that Verizon has demonstrated that good cause warrants granting this waiver.Word | Acrobat

9/12/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the petitions of three carriers for waiver of the September 30, 2005 deadlines. We find that the Petitioners have demonstrated that good cause warrants these waivers.Word | Acrobat

9/11/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request from United Telephone Company of Kansas and United Telephone Company of Eastern Kansas and Twin Valley Telephone, Inc. for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze.Word | Acrobat

8/22/06ERRATUM: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division on August 15, 2006 released an Order DA 06-1645, in the Matter of Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. and Qwest Corporation. This Erratum corrects the Order.Word | Acrobat

8/15/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant a joint request from Sacred Wind Communications, Inc. and Qwest Corporation for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

8/14/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant the requests of Buggs Island Telephone Cooperative and Pembroke Telephone Cooperative for waivers of the annual certification deadline set forth in section 54.314 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

8/14/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant the requests of Northwest Dakota Cellular of North Dakota Limited Partnership; North Central RSA 2 of North Dakota Limited Partnership; North Dakota RSA No. 3 Limited Partnership; Badlands Cellular of North Dakota Limited Partnership; North Dakota 5-Kidder Limited Partnership; and Bismarck MSA Limited Partnership for a waiver of the September 30, 2004 data submission reporting deadline set forth in section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

8/14/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant a request from Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. for a waiver of the October 1, 2004 annual certification filing deadline set forth in section 54.313 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

8/14/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant a request from Centennial Cellular Tri-State Operating Partnership and Centennial Claiborne Cellular Corp. for waiver of the April 1, 2004 and October 1, 2004 certification deadlines in section 54.314(d) of the Commision's rules. Mississippi Public Service Commission was also granted a request for a waiver of the January 1, 2005 certification deadline.Word | Acrobat

8/14/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant a request from Cellular South Licenses, Inc. for a waiver of the December 31, 2003, filing deadline for interstate access universal service support set forth in section 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

8/14/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant the petition of North Carolina RSA 3 Cellular Telephone Company d/b/a Carolina West Wireless to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier in portions of its licensd service area in the state of North Carolina.Word | Acrobat

8/11/06Public Notice: The Telecommunications Access Policy Division of the Wireline Competition Bureau granted the petitions for waiver of certain filing deadlines for the receipt of universal service support for the following Petitioners: Highland Cellular, Inc., Megagate, American Cellular Corp., and NPCR, Inc.Word | Acrobat

7/25/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the petition of Gorham Telephone Company, Inc., and Rural Telephone Service Company, Inc., to waive the study area boundary freeze, as codified, in Part 36, and Gorham Telephone Company's request for waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission's rules. Comments Due: August 8, 2006 and Reply Comments Due: August 15, 2006.Word | Acrobat

7/12/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Verizon Communications, Inc. seeking waiver of the quarterly line count filing deadline associated with the receipt of universal service interstate access support pursuant to section 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules. Comments Due: July 26, 2006 and Reply Comments Due: August 2, 2006.Word | Acrobat

7/18/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the petition of Accipiter Communications, Inc., and Qwest Cororation to waive the study area boundary freeze, as codified in part 36, and section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission's rules. Comments Due: July 24, 2006 and Reply Comments Due: July 31, 2006.Word | Acrobat

6/2/06Public Notice: IOWA TELECOM SERVICES, INC. SEEKS FORBEARANCE FROM OR WAIVER OF THE COMMISSION'S UNIVERSAL SERVICE RULES TO PERMIT IT TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR UNIVERSAL SERVICE SUPPORT UNDER THE HIGH-COST MECHANISM FOR NON-RURAL CARRIERS PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED. Comment Date: July 3, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: July 18, 2006.Word | Acrobat

6/2/06Public Notice: The Commission extend the high-cost universal service support rules adopted in the Rural Task Force Order on an interim basis until the Commission concludes its rural review proceeding and adopts changes, if any, to those rules as a result of that proceeding.Word | Acrobat

4/27/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau conditionally grant a joint request from Lost Nation-Elwood elephone Company and Iowa Telecom for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

4/27/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau conditionally grant a joint request from Partner Communications Cooperative and Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc., d/b/a Iowa Telecom for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

4/14/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on the petition, filed on March 15, 2006, by Cellular Network Partnership d/b/a Pioneer Cellular for waiver of the Septmber 30, 2005 filing deadline set forth in section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules. Comments are due April 28, 2006 and reply comments are due May 5, 2006.Word | Acrobat

4/14/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition, filed by North Dakota Network Company pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the North Dakota Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of rural telephone companies in North Dakota at the wire center level. Comment Date: May 5, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: May 19, 2006Word | Acrobat

3/17/06Public Notice: Parties are invited to comment on the petition filed by Pine Belt Cellular, Inc. seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the state of Alabama pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934. Comment Date: April 6, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: April 21, 2006Word | Acrobat

3/17/06Public Notice: Parties are invited to comment on the petition filed by Hopi Telecommunications, Inc. seeking designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the Hopi and Navajo Reservations in the state of Arizona pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934. Comment Date: April 6, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: April 21, 2006Word | Acrobat

3/17/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by Mark Twain Communications Company pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Missouri Public Service Commission to redefine the service area of Spectra Communications Group, a rural incumbent local exchange carrier. Comment Date: April 7, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: April 21, 2006Word | Acrobat

3/15/06Order: The Commission conditionally grant a joint request from Heart of Iowa Communications Cooperative and Iowa Telecommunications Services, Inc., d/b/a Iowa elecom for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

3/10/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Buerau seeks comment on a petition filed by the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with its decision to redefine the service areas of rural incumbent local exchange carriers for the purposes of designating Brookings Municipal Utilities d/b/a Swiftel Communications as an eligible telecommunications carrier. Comment Date: March 31, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: April 14, 2006.Word | Acrobat

3/6/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Buerau seeks comment on petitions filed by Pembroke Telephone Cooperative, North River Telephone Cooperative, Nebraska Technology & Telecommunications, Inc., and Great Lakes of Iowa, Inc. seeking waivers of various filing deadlines associated with the receipt of unviersal service support pursuant to the Commission's rules. Comment Date: March 20, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: March 27, 2006.Word | Acrobat

3/15/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petitions filed by American Cellular Corporation pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Minnesota Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of rural incumbent local exchange carrier service areas. Comment Date: March 17, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: March 31, 2006.Word | Acrobat

2/23/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant requests by Dixon Telephone Company, Lexcom Telephone Company, and Citizens Telephone Company of Higginsville, Missouri - incumbent local exchange carriers that have been designated as eligible telecommunications carriers - for a waiver of the data submission reporting deadline set forth in section 54.301(b) of the Commission's rules for local switching support.Word | Acrobat

2/3/06Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grant the petition of Corr Wireless Communications, LLC, as amended, to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier in portions of its licensed service area in the state of Alabama, pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934.Word | Acrobat

1/20/06Public Notice: The Wireline Competition Bureau seeks comment on a petition filed by N.E. Colorado Cellular, Inc. d/b/a Viaero Wireless pursuant to section 54.207 of the Commission's rules, requesting the Commission's agreement with the decision of the Nebraska Public Service Commission to redefine the service areas of rural incumbent local exchange carrier service aras. Comment Date: February 6, 2006 and Reply Comment Date: February 21, 2006.Word | Acrobat

1/12/06Order: The Commission approved the Universal Service Administrative Company's modified local switching support formula and, with respect to Part 36 high-cost support, adopted the National Exchange Carrier Association's cost per loop (CPL) formula.Word | Acrobat

2005

12/30/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants Adak Eagle Enterprises, LLC d/b/a Adak Telephone Utility (Adak Telephone), a new local exchange carrier (LEC) in Alaska, waivers of certain Commission rules so that it may receive high-cost loop support based on projected costs until historical costs become available. Adak Telephone would be eligible to receive high-cost universal service support as of the date it was designated an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC). Further, the Bureau would grant Adak Telephone's request for waiver of the Commission's rules so that it may participate immediately in the National Exchange Carrier Association's (NECA) pools and tariffs.Word | Acrobat

12/23/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the Petition of FiberNet, LLC for a waiver of the data submission reporting deadline set forth in section 54.307 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

12/9/05Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: The Commission released the attached NPRM seeking comment on issues raised by section 254(b) of the Communications Act and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit's decision in Qwest Corp. v. FCC (Qwest II). Specifically, it seeks comment on how to reasonably define the statutory terms "sufficient" and "reasonably comparable" in light of the court's holding in Qwest II. The NPRM also tentatively concludes that the Commission should establish an interim non-rural insular mechanism as proposed by Puerto Rico Telephone Company.Word | Acrobat

11/29/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Sully Telephone Association, Inc. (Sully) and Reasnor Telephone Company, LLC (Reasnor). This waiver permits Sully to remove one exchange from its Iowa study area, and permits Reasnor to create a new Iowa study area for the acquired exchange. Reasnor is also granted a waiver of section 69.605(c) of the Commission's rules to allow it to operate its new study area in Iowa as an interstate average schedule company.Word | Acrobat

11/29/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Direct Communications Cedar Valley, LLC (Direct Communications) and Qwest Corporation (Qwest). This waiver allows the territory served by Eagle Mountain City's municipal telephone system (EMC) to be removed from Qwest's study area and will allow Direct Communications to establish a new study area in the state of Utah. Direct Communications is also granted waiver of certain of the Commission's rules to allow it to become a member of the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA), to receive interstate access settlements and universal service support pursuant to NECA's average schedule formulas, and to receive, to the extent it is eligible, federal universal service support on the date that it would otherwise be entitled to receive such support.Word | Acrobat

11/29/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by Madison River Telephone Company, LLC, its wholly owned subsidiary MebTel, Inc. d/b/a MebTel Communications (Madison River) and BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc. (BellSouth). The waiver permits BellSouth to remove two exchanges from its North Carolina study area, and permits Madison River to add these exchanges to its MebTel study area in North Carolina. Madison River is also granted a waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission's rules to allow it to continue to use the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) as its tariff pool administrator.Word | Acrobat

11/29/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a joint request for waiver of the study area boundary freeze filed by United Telephone Company of Kansas (United) and Blue Valley Telecommunications, Inc. (Blue Valley). The waiver permits United to remove two exchanges from its Kansas study area, and permits Blue Valley to add these exchanges to its existing Kansas study area. Blue Valley is also granted a waiver of section 69.3(e)(11) of the Commission's rules to allow it to continue to use the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) as its tariff pool administrator.Word | Acrobat

11/22/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the Petitions of Alliance Communications and its subsidiaries waiver of the data submission reporting deadline.Word | Acrobat

10/27/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau would grant a joint request by Citizens Communications and Frontier Communications, on behalf of 31 eligible telecommunications carriers (ETCs), for a waiver of the June 30, 2005, filing deadline for interstate access universal service support set forth in section 54.802(a) of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

10/7/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the petition of RCC Minnesota, Inc. and RCC Atlantic, Inc. to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier in portions of its licensed service areas in New Hampshire.Word | Acrobat

9/14/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau granted Northwest Communications Cooperative and Noonan Farmers Telephone Company Joint Request for Waiver of the Study Area Boundary Freeze Codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commissions rules.Word | Acrobat

9/8/05Order: The Commission conditionally granted the petition of TracFone Wireless for forbearance from the requirement that a carrier designated as an ETC for purposes of federal universal service support provide services, at least in part, over its own facilities. TracFone seeks eligibility for Lifeline support only. This Order does not establish TracFone as an ETC. TracFone's pending ETC petitions will be addressed in subsequent order(s).Word | Acrobat

6/23/05Order: This order corrects our recently released NTELOS ETC designation. NTELOS was designated an ETC for non-rural wire centers but mistakenly included several rural wire centers. This order corrects the list of wire centers such that NTELOS is only designated for non-rural wire centers.Word | Acrobat

6/14/05Order: In this order released today, we grant petition of NTELOS to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) for requested service areas in Virginia.Word | Acrobat

5/16/05Order: In this order released today, we grant a request from Sandwich Isles for waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36, and sections 36.611 and 69.2(hh) of the Commission's rules. We also grant Sandwich Isles a waiver of the definition of incumbent local exchange carrier (LEC) in Part 36 and in section 54.5 of the Commission's rules to the limited extent necessary to permit Sandwich Isles to receive universal service support based on its own costs. These waivers will permit Sandwich Isles to continue being treated as an incumbent LEC for purposes of receiving universal service support and participating in the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) tariffs and pools.Word | Acrobat

4/19/05Order: In this order released today, we granted a joint request from Sioux Valley Telephone Company (Sioux Valley) and Hills Telephone Company, Inc (Hills) for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules. This waiver permitted Sioux Valley to remove three exchanges comprising approximately 557 access lines from its South Dakota study area. This waiver also permitted Hills to create a new South Dakota study area for the acquired exchanges. We also granted Hills a waiver of section 69.605(c) of the Commission's rules to operate its new study area in South Dakota as an interstate average schedule company.Word | Acrobat

3/17/05Report and Order: In this Report and Order, consistent with the recommendations of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, the Commission, among other things, adopts additional mandatory requirements for ETC designation proceedings in which the Commission acts pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). In addition, in this Report and Order, states that exercise jurisdiction over ETC designations pursuant to section 214(e)(2) of the Act, are encouraged to adopt these requirements when deciding whether a common carrier should be designated as an ETC.Word | Acrobat

2/17/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau released the attached order which extended TracFone Wireless Inc's Petition for Forbearance until September 6, 2005.Word | Acrobat

1/14/05Order: The Wireline Competition Bureau released the attached order which waives certain filing deadlines to give effect to the Commission's Skyline Order, which intended to permit Skyline Telephone to begin receiving high-cost universal service support in 2004.Word | Acrobat

1/10/05Order: The Commission released an Order denying in part and granting in part a request by Valor Telecommunications of Texas, L.P. (Valor), a rural incumbent local exchange carrier formed through the acquisition of approximately 315,000 lines from GTE in 2000, for waiver of section 54.305 of the Commission's rules. Specifically, the Commission granted Valor a limited waiver of section 54.305 to allow it to receive additional safety valve support consistent with the modifications to the safety valve mechanism that the Commission adopted today in FCC 05-1.Word | Acrobat

1/10/05Order on Reconsideration: The Commission released an Order and Order on Reconsideration amending section 54.305 of the Commission's rules so that it does not apply to transfers of exchanges between non-rural carriers after the phase-down of interim hold-harmless support, and granting a request by the National Telephone Cooperative Association (NTCA) to provide that rural carriers may receive "safety valve" support for investment made in the first year of operating acquired exchanges.Word | Acrobat

2004

12/8/04
Wireline Competition Bureau Initiates Proceeding to Consider Petition to Redefine Certain Rural Telephone Company Service Areas in the State of Minnesota.Word | Acrobat

11/2/04
The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service to Hold En Banc Hearing on High-Cost Universal Service Support in Areas Served by Rural Carriers.Word | Acrobat

10/22/04
The Wireline Competition Bureau released the attached Public Notice. In this Public Notice, the Bureau which grants in part and denies in part the petition of Advantage Cellular Systems, Inc. to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier in the state of Tennessee.Word | Acrobat

10/19/04
The Wireline Competition Bureau released the attached Public Notice. In this Public Notice, the Bureau provides notice that it is initiating a proceeding to consider a petition filed by American Cellular Corporation, requesting Federal Communications Commission agreement with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin's decision to redefine the service areas of certain rural telephone companies.Word | Acrobat

10/6/04
The Wireline Competition Bureau initiates proceeding to consider Petition to Redefine a Rural Telephone Company Service Area in the State of Wisconsin.Word | Acrobat

9/24/04
In the attached Order, the Bureau grants five petitions of ALLTEL Communications, Inc. ("ALLTEL") to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) in non-rural areas in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia, pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. In doing so, the Bureau finds ALLTEL has satisfied the statutory eligibility requirements of section 214(e)(1) to be designated as an ETC.Word | Acrobat

8/25/04
The attached Order was released today and will appear in tomorrow's daily digest. In this Order, the Bureau grants the petitions of NPCR, Inc. d/b/a Nextel Partners (Nextel) to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) for the requested service areas in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia, pursuant to section 214(e)(6) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (the Act). In so doing, the Bureau concludes that Nextel, a commercial mobile radio service (CMRS) carrier, has satisfied the statutory eligibility requirements of section 214(e)(1) to be designated as an ETC.Word | Acrobat

8/19/04
The attached Public Notice announces that it has granted petitions for waiver of certain filing deadlines associated with the receipt of universal support.Word | Acrobat

8/16/04
The attached Order grants a request from Grande Communications, Inc. (Grande), a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), for waiver of the January 1, 2003 certification filing deadline set forth in section 54.314(d) of the Commission's rules for high-cost universal service support in areas served by CenturyTel, Inc., a rural local exchange carrier. TAPD also grants Grande's request for waiver of the December 30, 2002 and March 30, 2003 quarterly filing deadlines for line count data set forth in section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules for high-cost universal service support and interstate common line support. Granting Grande's waiver requests will allow it to receive universal service support as of May 22, 2003, the date the Public Utility Commission of Texas designated Grande as an ETC.Word | Acrobat

8/16/04
The attached Order grants a request from Grande Communications, Inc. (Grande), a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), for waiver of the January 1, 2003 certification filing deadline set forth in section 54.314(d) of the Commission's rules for high-cost universal service support in areas served by CenturyTel, Inc., a rural local exchange carrier. TAPD also grants Grande's request for waiver of the December 30, 2002 and March 30, 2003 quarterly filing deadlines for line count data set forth in section 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules for high-cost universal service support and interstate common line support. Granting Grande's waiver requests will allow it to receive universal service support as of May 22, 2003, the date the Public Utility Commission of Texas designated Grande as an ETC.Word | Acrobat

8/16/04
The attached Order grants a request from Centennial Cellular Tri-State Operating Partnership and Centennial Claiborne Cellular Corp. (Centennial) for waiver of the April 1, 2003 certification filing deadline set forth in section 54.313(d) of the Commission's rules for high-cost universal service support in areas served by BellSouth Telecommunications, Inc., a non-rural local exchange carrier. Granting the request filed by Centennial, a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), will allow Centennial to receive high-cost universal service support as of September 24, 2003, the date that the Mississippi Public Service Commission designated Centennial as an ETC.Word | Acrobat

7/27/04
The attached Order grants a request from Searsboro Telephone Company, Inc. and Killduff Telephone Company for a waiver of the study area boundary freeze codified in the Appendix-Glossary of Part 36 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

6/28/04
The attached Order asks the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service to review the Commission's rules relating to the high-cost universal service support mechanisms for rural carriers.Word | Acrobat

6/24/04
The Wireline Competition Bureau released the attached Public Notice seeking comment on two petition filed on June 8, 2004 by TracFone Wireless, Inc., a reseller of commercial mobile radio services.Word | Acrobat

5/16/04
The Wireline Competition Bureau grant a request from Smithville Telephone Company, Inc. an incumbent local exchange carrier that been desingated as an eligible telecommunications carrier, for a waiver of October 1, 2003 data filing deadline.Word | Acrobat

5/6/04
The Wireline Competition Bureau denies the attached Order (DA 04-1287) FiberNet, LLC's, Petition for a Waiver of 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules for high-cost universal service support.Word | Acrobat

4/12/04
In the attached Order the Commission's grant in part and deny in part the petition of Highland Cellular Inc., to be designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier in portions of Virginia.Word | Acrobat

3/18/04
The Wireline Competition Bureau initiates a proceeding to consider a petition filed by ALLTEL Communications, Inc. requesting the Commission's agreement with the Michigan Public Service Commission's decision to redefine the "service areas" of certain rural telephone companies in the state of Michigan. (DA 04-686)Word | Acrobat

1/22/04
In this Order, the Commission grant in part and deny inpart, subject to enumarated conditions, the petition of Virginia Cellular to be designated as an eligibile telecommunications carrier.Word | Acrobat

2003

12/24/03
The Wireline Competition Bureau update line counts and other input data used in the Commission's forward-looking economic cost model for purposes of calculating and targeting non-rural high-cost support beginning January 1, 2004.Word | Acrobat

12/19/03
The Wireline Competition Bureau grants the request for a waiver with the attached Order (DA 03-4041) Puerto Rico Telephopne Company, Request for a Waiver of State Certification Requirements for High-Cost Universal Service Support for Non-Rural Carrieres.Word | Acrobat

12/5/03
The Wireline Competition Bureau released the attached Order (DA 03-3867) denying petitions filed by the Maine Public Utilities Commission and the Verizon Telephone Companies seeking reconsideration of the Bureau's decision to upgrade the computer language of its forward-looking cost model and to correct programming errors identified by interested parties.Word | Acrobat

10/27/03
The Wireline Competition Bureau announces the posting of a revised version of the Commission's cost model used to calculate high-cost support for non-rural carriers.Word | Acrobat

10/27/03
The Commission released the attached Order in response to the decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit and recommendations of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service.Word | Acrobat

9/5/03
The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request from Qwest Corporation (Qwest) for a waiver of the July 31, 2003 loop cost data filing deadline set forth in section 36.611 of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat

7/25/03
The Wireline Competition Bureau grants a request from N.E. Colorado Cellular, Inc. (N.E. Colorado Cellular), a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), for waiver of the October 1, 2001 certification filing deadline set forth in section 54.314(d)(1) of the Commission's rules for receiving high-cost universal service support in areas served by rural carriers. Granting N.E. Colorado Cellular's waiver request will allow it to receive universal service support beginning February 6, 2002, the date N.E. Colorado Cellular filed its high-cost certification under section 54.314(d) with the Commission.Word | Acrobat

7/24/03
Seeks additional comment on updating line counts in the Commission's forward-looking cost model for purposes of determining support for non-rural carriers following a Commission decision in the Ninth Report and Order remand proceeding. Specifically, the Bureau seeks comment on whether to continue to update special access lines in the cost model, or whether to zero out special access lines from the cost model's calculations. Moreover, the Bureau seeks comment on whether to update the cost model with year-end 2002 line count data which will be filed July 31, 2003.Word | Acrobat

7/18/03
In the attached Order, the Telecommunications Access Policy Division grants a request from Western Wireless Corporation (Western Wireless), a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC), for waiver of the October 1, 2002 certification filing deadline set forth in section 54.314(d)(1) of the Commission's rules for high-cost universal service support in areas served by rural carriers. Granting Western Wireless's waiver request will allow it to receive universal service support beginning January 6, 2003, the date the South Dakota Public Utility Commission designated Western Wireless as an ETC.Word | Acrobat

7/10/03
The Commission released an Order on Remand which addresses two issues on remand from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. This Order on Remand concludes that the $650 million IAS amount adopted in the CALLS Order represents a reasonable estimate of the implicit support in access charges to be replaced with explicit support and is supported by the record in this proceeding. The Order on Remand also concludes that the record supports the adoption of a 6.5 percent X-factor to achieve the Commission's target rate levels for price cap carriers.Word | Acrobat

1/28/03
WCB released an Order granting the study area waiver request of Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Missouri Valley Communications, Inc., Reservation Telephone Cooperative and Citizens Telecommunications Company of North Dakota. The Order also grants requests for waiver of section 61.41(c)(2),and section 69.3(e)(11). The Order also denies the request for waiver of section 69.605(c) for continued operation as an average schedule company.Word | Acrobat | Text

1/7/03
Federal -State Joint Board on Universal Service (Delphi Order) Adopted the Delphi version of the forward-looking cost model, which has been translated from turbo-pascal computer language, for calculating high cost support for non-rural carriers.Word | Acrobat | Text

12/13/02
Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control Request for Waiver Granted the petition of the Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control for a waiver of the calendar year 2002 state certification requirements for high-cost universal service support in areas served by rural carriers.Word | Acrobat | Text

12/6/02
Blackduck Telephone Company and Arvig Telephone Company. Granted a request for a waiver of the definition of "study area" contained in the Part 36 Appendix-Glossary of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat | Text

12/14/02
RFB Cellular, Inc. Granted the Request from RFB for waiver of certification filing deadline and waiver of quarterly filing deadlines for line count data set forth in sections 54.314(d)(1) and 54.307(c) of the Commission's rules.Word | Acrobat | Text

10/16/02
The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service issues recommendations of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service on issues from the Ninth Report and Order that was remanded to the Commission.Word | Acrobat | Text

5/6/02
Access Charge Reform, Price Cap Performance Review for Local Exchange Carriers, Low Volume Income Long Distance Users RE: Granted in part request by the National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates for limited modifications of Interim Protective Order to permit limited access to certain carrier-filed line count information.Word | Acrobat | Text

3/22/02
First Order on Reconsideration in CC DKT No. 00-256, Twenty-Fourth Order on Reconsideration in CC DKT No. 96-45 RE: Multi-Association Group (MAG) Plan for Regulation of Non-Price Cap Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers. Federal-State Joint board on Universal Service. Modifying the Commission's procedures with respect to the initial filing by rate-of-return carriers of data necessary for the Universal Service Administrative Company to calculate Interstate Common Line Support.Word | Acrobat | Text

1/25/02
Common Carrier Bureau released an Erraturm that corrects a phrase in Appendix A in order to make it consistent with the text of the November 8, 2001, MAG Order.

2001

12/18/01
Common Carrier Bureau released an Order that updates line count input values for the high-cost universal service support mechanism for non-rural carriers for purposes of calculating and targeting support amounts for the year 2002. The Bureau also updates the company-specific data used in the model to calculate investment in general support facilities and switching costs. Finally, the Bureau denies a petition for reconsideration filed by Sprint Corporation of the Bureau's 2001 Line Counts Update Order. Text | Word

November 2001 Releases

11/30/01
The Common Carrier Bureau released an order granting Saddleback Communications and Qwest Corporation for request for a waiver of the definition of &quot;study area&quot; contained in the Part 36 Appendix-Glossary of the Commission's rules. We also grant Saddleback's request for waiver of the &quot;all-or-nothing&quot; rule to permit Saddleback to operate under rate-of-return regulation and section 69.3(e)(11) to permit Saddleback to participate in the NECA common line tariff effective upon closing of the transaction. Text | Word

11/8/01
The Commission released a Report and Order in the Multi-Association Group (MAG) proceeding that reforms the interstate access charge structure for rate-of-return carriers, and creates a new universal service support mechanism, Interstate Common Line Support, to replace implicit support for universal service in their access charges. The companion Further Notice seeks additional comment on the MAG incentive plan and on the MAG's proposed changes to the Commission's &quot;all-or-nothing&quot; rule. It also seeks comment on pricing flexibility measures for rate-of-return carriers, and on merging the Long Term Support mechanism into the new support mechanism as of July 1, 2003. Comment date: February 15, 2002, Reply Comment date: March 18, 2002. TextWord | Acrobat

11/06/01
The Commission released an order denying USTA's petition for reconsideration of the Contribution Interval Order modifying the methodology used to assess contributions that carriers make to the federal universal service support mechanisms. Acrobat | Text

October 2001 Releases

10/23/01
Erratum. The Common Carrier Bureau released an Erratum to a September 17, 2001, Order. On September 17, 2001, the Common Carrier Bureau released an Order granting the request of the Illinois Consolidated Telephone Companyand Odin Telephone Exchange Inc. for a waiver of the definition of &quot;study area&quot; contained in the Part 36 Appendix-Glossary of the Commission's rules. This erratum corrects the released text. DA-01-2258 Acrobat | Text

10/19/01
The Commission released the attached order denying petitions for reconsideration of the Bureau's designation of Western Wireless as an eligible telecommunications carrier (ETC) for the purpose of receiving federal universal service support in Wyoming. Acrobat | Text

10/05/01
The Commission released an Order, that denies Moultrie Independent Telephone Company&#146;s petition for declaratory ruling, request for waiver of Part 36, and motion for stay. Moultrie seeks a ruling regarding the regulatory accounting and separations treatment of &#147;sale and lease-back&#148; arrangements between itself and an affiliate. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 10/5/01) DA 01-292 Text | Word

10/05/01
The Federal Communications Commission released an Order that finds that the FCC, not the South Dakota PUC, has jurisdiction to designate Western Wireless an ETC for service to tribal members on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Acrobat | Text

10/05/01
The Federal Communications Commission released an Order that designates Western Wireless as an ETC for service to tribal members on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Acrobat | Text

September 2001 Releases

09/20/01
The Federal Communications Commission released an Order denying the request of Federal Transtel to waive or reconsider the Commission's rules and permit Federal Transtel to recalculate its 1998 and 1999 contributions to the federal universal service mechanisms. Text | Word

09/18/01
Common Carrier Bureau released an Order that denies Oklahoma Telephone &amp; Telegraph request for waiver of section 36.621(a)(4) of the Commission's rules, which limits the amount of corporate operations expenses that a carrier may include in the high-cost loop support mechanism. (Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau released an Order that grants Illinois Consolidated Telephone Company's (ICTC) and Odin Telephone Exchange, Inc.'s (Odin) request for a waiver of the definition of &quot;study area&quot; contained in the Part 36 Appendix-Glossary of the Commission&#146;s rules. This waiver will facilitate a transfer of telephone exchanges between these companies. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 9/17/01) DA 01-1583 Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on updating line counts and other limited information used in calculating high-cost universal service support for non-rural carriers for 2002. Comment Date: 15 days from publication in the Federal Register. Reply Comment Date: 21 days from publication in the Federal Register (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 9/11/01) DA 01-2107 Text | Word

August 2001 Releases

Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on its review of the definition of universal service. Comments Due: 60 days after publication in Federal Register. Reply Comments Due: 120 days after publication in Federal Register. (Dkt No 96-45, FCC No. 01-J-1, released 8/21/01) Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau released an Order that granted the petition for waiver of section 54.809(c) of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. Section 54.809(c), filed by Smith Bagley, Inc. on July 16, 2001. (Dkt No 96-45, DA No. 01-1911, released 8/15/01). Text | Word.

Common Carrier Bureau released an Order that denies San Carlos Apache Telecommunications Utility, Inc (San Carlos) request for waiver of sections 36.611 and 36.612 of the Commission's rules and rejects San Carlos's request for accelerated high-cost universal service support. (Dkt No 96-45, DA No. 01-1834, released 8/10/01) Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on the petition of Guam Cellular and Paging, Inc. d/b/a Guamcell Communications under section 214(e)(6) requesting designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier for service offered in Guam. Comments Due: 30 days after publication in Federal Register. Reply Comments Due: 45 days after publication in Federal Register. (Dkt No 96-45, DA No. 01-1842, released 8/1/01) Text | Word

June 2001 Releases

Common Carrier Bureau released an Order granting in part a request from Citizens/Qwest for study area waivers to allow Citizens to acquire approximately 158,000 access lines in Arizona. Denies Citizens request to create a new study area in Arizona, and requires Citizens to include the acquired access lines in its existing Arizona study area. Permits Citizens to maintain the status quo by continuing to receive rural high-cost loop support for its existing access lines in Arizona, pending Commission resolution of issues related to rural self-certifications, the definition of a rural telephone company, and further examination of section 54.305 as it relates to the transfer of exchanges between non-rural carriers after the phase-down of interim hold-harmless support. (Dkt No 96-45, DA No. 01-1536, released 6/29/01) Text | Word

The Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice seeking comment on translation of the cost model from Turbo-Pascal computer language to Delphi computer language and announces posting of updated Turbo-Pascal version of the cost model. Comments Due: 45 days from publication in Federal Register. Reply Comments Due: 60 days from publication in Federal Register. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 6/20/01) DA No. 01-1458. TextWord

The Common Carrier Bureau released a Public Notice announcing that Skyline Telephone is seeking a waiver of sections 36.611, 36.612 AND 69.2(HH) Universal Service Fund&quot; to provide expedited and economic service to previously unserved areas. Comments Due: 06/29/2001 Reply Comments Due: 07/16/2001. (Dkt No 96-45, DA No. 01-1414, released 6/15/01) TextWord

Common Carrier Bureau released an Order granting the requests from Amana Colonies Telephone Company and South Slope Cooperative Telephone Company: for a waiver of the definition of &quot;study area&quot; contained in Part 36 Appendix-Glossary of the Commission's rules and grants waiver of the definition of &quot;average schedule company&quot; included in section 69.605(c). (Dkt No 96-45, DA No. 01-1327, released 6/6/01) Text | Word

May 2001 Releases

The Commission released an Order, consistent with the recommendation of the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service that modifies the rules for providing high-cost universal service support to rural telephone companies for the next five years based upon the proposals made by the Rural Task Force. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, CC 00-256, released 5/23/01) FCC 01-157Text | Word Errata to FCC 01-157, released 6/1/01: Text | Word

March 2001 Releases

The Commission released an Order, that grants Pioneer Telephone Cooperative, Inc., Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc., and EagleNet, Inc.: a waiver of the Part 36 (universal service) freeze on study area boundaries to enable the petitioners to remove six exchanges operated by Pioneer from the petitioners' jointly operated Oklahoma study area, and permit Pioneer to incorporate the six exchanges into its existing Oklahoma study area. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 3/19/01) DA 01-659

The Commission released an Order, which grants a waiver to the West Virginia Public Service Commission of the October 1, 2000 filing deadline for state certification for first quarter 2001 high-cost support (non-rural carriers). (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 3/13/01) FCC 01-86Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau releases Order granting Wyoming Public Service Commission: a waiver of sections 54.309 and 54.311 of the Commission's rules to enable the Wyoming Commission to target non-rural high-cost universal service support to the Wyoming Commission's retail and unbundled network element rate zones. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 3/9/01) DA 01-612 Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau releases Order granting Qwest/Citizens Petition for Waiver to Effectuate Sale of Five Exchanges in Wyoming: Grants waiver of the Part 36 (universal service) freeze on study area boundaries. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 2/16/01) DA 01-410 Text | Word

The Commission denies the petition of Oncor Communications, Inc. to forbear from enforcement of the Commission's rules requiring that contributions to the Federal Universal Service support mechanisms be based on carrier revenue from the prior year. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 2/13/01) FCC 01-51Text | Word

January 2001 Releases

Common Carrier Bureau releases Order granting the requests from Mescalero Apache Telecom, Inc. (Mescalero), GTE Southwest Incorporated (GTE), and Valor Telecommunications of New Mexico, LLC (Valor), for a waiver of the definition of &quot;study area&quot; contained in the Part 36 Appendix-Glossary of the Commission&#146;s rules. This waiver will permit USValor to alter the boundaries of a New Mexico study area it has acquired from GTE so that it can transfer to Mescalero approximately 950 access lines currently served by the Mescalero, Alto, and Ruidoso, New Mexico exchanges. This waiver also will permit Mescalero to establish a new study area in New Mexico for the approximately 950 access lines it intends to acquire from Valor. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 1/18/01) DA No. 01-129 Text | Word

The Commission releases Order granting the request from Mescalero Apache Telecom, Inc., Petition for a waiver of Section 54.305 of the Commission's Rules. This waiver will enable Mescalero to receive increased high-cost support based on its costs and fulfill its commitment to bring basic service to all unserved residences on the Mescalero Apache Reservation in its first two years of operation, as well as permit Mescalero to expand service in underserved areas of the Reservation. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 1/18/01) FCC No. 01-13. Text | Word

2000

Common Carrier Bureau releases Memorandum Opinion and Order. In the tribal order released in June, the Commission committed to resolving petitions for ETC designation that are properly pending before us under section 214(e)(6) within 6 months of filing. This Order grants Cellco's petition for ETC designation in the state of Delaware. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 12/26/00) DA 00-2895

Common Carrier Bureau releases Memorandum Opinion and Order. In the tribal order released in June, the Commission committed to resolving petitions for ETC designation that are properly pending before us under section 214(e)(6) within 6 months of filing. This Order grants Western Wireless's petition for ETC designation in the state of Wyoming. Concludes that granting Western Wireless ETC designation in rural service areas is in the public interest. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 12/26/00) DA 00-2896Text | Word

The Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service adopted and released the attached Recommended Decision recommending that the Commission use the Rural Task Force's Recommendation regarding reforms to rural high-cost universal service support mechanisms as a foundation for implementing a rural universal service plan. Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service, (CC Docket No. 96-45, Released 12/22/00) FCC 00J-4 Text | Word | HTML

Common Carrier Bureau releases an Order adopting the updated line count input values for the new high-cost universal service support mechanism for non-rural carriers for purposes of calculating and targeting support amounts for the year 2001. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 12/8/00) DA 00-2729.Text | Word

Thirteenth Report and Order adopts measures for phasing down the interim hold-harmless support provision of the forward-looking high-cost universal service support mechanism for non-rural carriers. (see spreadsheet, Appendix C, of the Report and Order. The companion Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on the narrow issue of whether, following the phase-down of interim hold-harmless support, section 54.305 of the Commission's rules should no longer be applied to transfers of telephone exchanges between non-rural carriers. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 12/8/00) FCC 00-428 Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau releases Public Notice announcing the proposed universal service contribution factor for the first quarter of 2001. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 12/8/00) DA 00-2764. Text | Word

November 2000 Releases

Common Carrier Bureau releases Order granting the requests from Citizens Telecommunications company of Illinois and GTE South Inc and GTE North Inc. for waiver of definition of &quot;study area&quot; in Part 36, Appendix-Glossary, of the Commission's rules. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 11/27/00) DA 00-2662 Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau releases Order granting the requests from Citizens telecommunications Company of Idaho and Qwest Corporation for a waiver of the definition of &quot;study area&quot; contained in Part 36 of the Commission's rules. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 11/27/00) DA 00-2640 Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau releases Order granting the waiver requests from the Public Service Commission of the District of Columbia and New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to permit retroactive distribution of federal universal service support to three carriers that were not designated as ETCs prior to January 1, 1998. (Dkt No. CC-96-45, Released 11/9/00) DA 00-2522. Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau partially denies 4 price cap LECs' requests for confidential treatment of line count data submitted under the rules for the interstate access universal service support mechanism. Denies the confidentiality requests only to the extent necessary to enable the Universal Service Administrative Company to comply with Commission rules requiring it to publish statewide and per-line interstate access universal service support levels. (CC Docket Nos. 96-262, 94-1, 99-249, 96-45, Released 9/20/00), DA 00-2132 Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau releases order that protects the confidentiality of price cap LEC line counts that cannot be determined when the Universal Service Administrative Company publishes statewide and per-line interstate access universal service support levels. (CC Docket Nos. 96-262, 94-1, 99-249, 96-45, Released 9/20/00), DA 00-2133 Text | Word

Telephone USA of Wisconsin/GTE Petition for Waivers to Effectuate Sale of 35 Exchanges in the State of Wisconsin: Grants waivers of: (1) the Part 36 (universal service) freeze on study area boundaries; (2) section 61.41(c)(2) to permit Telephone USA to continue operation under rate-of-return regulation; and (3) section 69.3(e)(9) to permit the acquired access lines to reenter the NECA common line pool. DA 00-1862, Released 8/16/00 Text | Word

CenturyTel of Central Wisconsin/GTE Petition for Waivers to Effectuate Sale of 42 Exchanges in the State of Wisconsin: Grants waivers of: (1) the Part 36 (universal service) freeze on study area boundaries; (2) section 61.41(c)(2) to permit CenturyTel to continue operation under rate-of-return regulation; and (3) section 69.3(g)(2) to permit the acquired access lines to reenter the NECA common line pool. DA 00-1863, Released 8/16/00 Text | Word

Commission releases a Declaratory Ruling providing guidance regarding whether section 214(e) of the Act requires a common carrier to provide supported services throughout a service area prior to being designated as an eligible telecommunications carrier. CC Docket No. 96-45, FCC 00-248 Released 8/10/00. Text | Word

Order grants requests for removal of individual caps on high-cost loop support filed by Accent Communications, Inc., et al.: Grants requests of 40 rural telephone companies for the removal of all remaining individual caps on high-cost loop support imposed in the past as part of the grant of study area waivers. Removes caps effective January 1, 2000. Denies requests to remove individual caps on high-cost loop support prior to January 1, 2000. Action is consistent with the Common Carrier Bureau's September 9, 1999 Order lifting nine individual caps on high-cost loop support. (Dkt No.: CC-96-45, DA No.: 00-1761, Released 8/4/00).Text | Word

Order grants requests from Spectra Communications/GTE Petition for Waivers to Effectuate Sale of 107 Exchanges in the State of Missouri: Grants waivers of: (1) the Part 36 (universal service) freeze on study area boundaries; (2) section 61.41(c)(2) to permit Spectra to continue operation under rate-of-return regulation; and (3) section 69.3(e)(9) to permit the acquired access lines to reenter the NECA common line pool. (DA No. 00-1625, Released 7/27/00). Text | Word

Common Carrier Bureau seeks comment on updating line counts for calculating high-cost universal service support for non-rural carriers for the year 2001. Comments due August 8, 2000 and reply comments due August 15, 2000 (Dkt No. CC-96-45, DA No. 00-1626, Released 7/24/00) .Text | Word

Order grants requests from Rye and U S WEST for: (1) waiver of the Part 36 definition of study area to permit the transfer 94 access lines in the Pueblo exchange; and (2) waiver of section 61.41(c)(2) of the Commission's rules to permit Rye to continue operating under rate-of-return regulation after acquiring U S WEST access lines that are currently under price cap regulation. (Dkt No.: CC-96-45, DA No.: 00-1585, Adopted: 7/17/00, Released 7/18/00) Text | Word

Order grants joint petition of Citizens Telecommunications Company of North Dakota and U S WEST Communications, Inc. for a waiver of the definition of &quot;study area&quot; contained in the Part 36 Appendix-Glossary of the Commission's rules. (Dkt No.: CC-96-45, DA No.: 00-1548, Adopted: 7/11/00, Released 7/12/00) Text | Word

Order grants petition of CenturyTel of Northwest Arkansas, LLC and CenturyTel of Central Arkansas, LLC and GTE Arkansas Incorporated, GTE Midwest Incorporated, and GTE Southwest Incorporated for a waiver of the definition of &quot;study area&quot; contained in the Part 36 Appendix-Glossary of the Commission's rules and grants petition of CenturyTel of Northwest Arkansas, LLC and CenturyTel of Central Arkansas, LLC for waiver of sections 61.41(c) and 69.3(g)(2) of the Commission's rules to enable the petitioners to operate the acquired exchanges under rate-of-return regulation and include the acquired access lines in the NECA common line pool. Dkt No.: CC-96-45. Action by Deputy Chief, Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau. . (DA No. 00-1434). Adopted: 6/27/00. Text | Word

Public Notice released in which the Bureau seeks comment on whether line count data for wire centers not receiving high-cost universal service support should be afforded confidential treatment. Previously, the Commission denied, to a limited extent, requests for confidential treatment of quarterly line count data at the wire center level for those wire centers receiving support.DA 00-1068 (released May 12, 2000). Comments due June 26, 2000 and reply comments due July 17, 2000. Text | Word

April 2000 Releases

Commission clarifies how quarterly line count data will be incorporated in the new high-cost universal service support mechanism. CC Docket No. 96-45, FCC 00-126 (Released 4/7/00). Text | Word

Public Notice establishing a comment cycle for GTE Midwest Incorporated and Spectra Communications Group, LLC seek a waiver of the definition of &quot;Study Area&quot; in Part 36 and section 69.3(E)(9) and 61.41(C) of the Commission's rules DA 00-743, Released 4/3/00. Text | Word

CCB agrees with Washington Commission's proposed service area designation, and grants the requested waiver to permit the disaggregation of federal high cost support currently given at the study area level. (CC Docket No. 96-45) DA 99-1844:Text | WordPerfect 9/15/99

Western Wireless Corporation petitions for designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier and for related waivers to provide services eligible for universal service support to Crow Reservation, Montana. Public Notice:Text | Word, 9/13/99

Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau grants South Dakota Public Utilities Commission an extension of the dates for comments and replies on Western Wireless' Petition for Preemption of its order denying Western Wireless designation as an eligible telecommunications carrier. Order:Text | WordPerfect, 8/5/99

Common Carrier Bureau Releases Preliminary Common Input Values to Facilitate Selection of Final Input Values for the Forward-Looking Cost Model for Universal Service. Public Notice:Text | WordPerfectSpreadsheet:Excel 2/5/99

January 1999 Releases

Common Carrier Bureau Sends List of Rural Telephone Companies to the Universal Service Administrative Company for Purposes of Determining Federal Universal Service High Cost Support Beginning July 1, 1999. Public Notice:Text | WordPerfect, List of Rural Telephone Companies with Study Area Codes:Text | WordPerfect 1/4/99, 1/19/99

FCC Responds to GTE Requests in Two Filings in the Matter of Forward-Looking Mechanism for High Cost Support for Non-Rural LECs. Text | WordPerfect 1/11/99

1998

Common Carrier Bureau Announces the Location of the December 11, 1998 Workshop on Input Values to be Used to Estimate Forward-Looking Economic Costs for Purposes of Universal Service Support (CC Docket Nos. 96-45, 97-160). Text | WordPerfect 12/7/98

Common Carrier Bureau Seeks Comment on the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission's and Twenty Rural Telecommunications Companies' Petition for Agreement with Designation of Rural Company Eligible Telecommunications Carrier Service Areas at the Exchange Level and for Approval of the Use of Disaggregation of Study Areas for the Purpose of Distributing Portable Federal Universal Service Support. Text | WordPerfect 8/26/98

Common Carrier Bureau Announces the Release of Version 2.6 of an Engineering Process Model Known as the Hybrid Cost Proxy Model. HCPM is a hybrid model that represents the views of individual Commission staff members, and should not be interpreted as an official statement or a proposed Commission decision. 7/23/98

NRRI has released a study by David Gabel of Queens College that includes estimates of the forward-looking cost of switches using data obtained from the Common Carrier Bureau and other inputs, including cables, for use in proxy cost models. This study can be accessed on NRRI's home page. The inclusion of this link to Dr. Gabel's study does not constitute an endorsement of its results. 4/17/98